Crime Flashcards
Neo-Marxism ‘The New Criminology’
it is a combination of both MARXISM and INTERACTIONISM
looks at crime on a MACRO and MICRO scale
a STRUCTUAL and ACTION theory, they believe that people choose to commit crimes because they have free will however their is a certain limit for how free people are due to the capitalist system.
criminals choose to commit crimes as part of a POLITICAL PROTEST, struggle to change aspects of society i.e. women’s liberation movement, blank panther movement etc.
THE NEW CRIMINOLOGY WAS DEVELOPED BY TAYLOR, WALTON AND YOUNG IN 1973.
Crit of Neo Marxists
left realists argue that working class criminals are not fighting against the capitalists system but their victims are the working class not the ruling class. feminists would argue that this theory ignores gender
the book of criminology
in their book it states that a theory needs to look at crime and deviance from all angles, by looking at how society is organised i.e. MACRO and STRUCTUAL or the way in which individuals carry out crimes i.e. MICRO and ACTION.
‘FULLY SOCIAL THEORY OF DEVIENCE’
pt2 of the BOC
7 things needed to be considered:
- HOW WEALTH AND POWER IS DISTRIBUTED IN SOCIETY, capitalism has to be examined
- CIRCUMSTANCE OF THE DEVIENT ACT, meaning that the researcher has to understand why the person decided to commit the crime.
- THE ACT ITSELF what was the meaning behind the act for the individual, vandalising property to get back at capitalism.
- LOOKING AT HOW AND WHY PEOPLE REJECT CRIME, i.e. friends or families reaction.
- LOOKING AT HOW PEOPLE RESPOND FITS WITH THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY, through looking at the capitalist system why some people are treated more harshly than others when they break the law, working class and who makes the law, ruling class.
- THE EFFECTS OF LABELLED DEVIENT/CRIMINAL, causes a self fulfilling prophecy but some argue that people could reject that label as they don’t see themselves in that way.
MARXISM AND CRIME
a STRUCTUAL THEORY that believes that crime and deviance is caused by the capitalist system, forces people into committing crimes.
believe that CRIME STATISTICS ARE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION, they are not valid because they are made by the RULING CLASS
the system focuses on: maximising profit, private property and the exploitation for the profit of the working class (PROLETARIOT) by the ruling class (BOURGEOISIE).
how does capitalism create crime
capitalism creates crime due to:
POVERTY - people commit crime as it helps them survive
CRIMES INVOLVE CONSUMER GOODS - capitalists media encourages false needs, working class may not be able to afford them so they turn to crime in order to get them.
CRIMES THAT HAVE NO FINANCIAL GAINS - such as rape, vandalism, violence which marxists would argue is their way to express anger and frustration towards the CAPITALIST SYSTEM.
CRIME IS ALSO ENCOURAGED IN RULING CLASS, stresses on GREED (people can never have enough money) or SELF-INTEREST and WINNING AT ALL COSTS.
Crit of Marxists
it is too DETERMINISTIC since not all working class people would commit crime, they ignore action theories which state that people do have free will and can choose to commit crimes.
1) CRIMINOGENIC CAPITALISM
white collar - committed by an employee at work e.g. fraud, tax evasions, computer crimes
corporate crimes - committed by big companies e.g. according to CROALL, crimes against consumers such as selling dangerous goods or crimes against employees like causing deaths due to violation of health and safety laws at their workplace.
e.g. big companies like GOOGLE or BOOTS have commited crimes like tax avoidance
cost of CC and WC is far greater than street crimes, it’s not seen as problem according to the general public.
cc. it has been criticised that not all capitalists societies have high rates of crimes such as countries like Japan and Switzerland have low rates of crimes.
ANALYSIS
STRAIN, APPLICABLE AS COMPANIES GOALS ARE TO BE FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL THROUGH EARNING MORE PROFIT REGARDLESS WEATHER IT IS ILLEGAL.
SUB - SOCIALISING NEW PEOPLE INTO THEIR COMPANY TO ACHIEVE CORPORATE GOALS AND DEVIENT MEANS.
MEDIA - PAY CERTAIN PEOPLE KNOWN AS THE ‘SETTLEMENTS OF AGREEMENT’ TO STOP TALKING IN MEDIA.
LAB - HAVE THE WEALTH AND POWER TO AVOID LABELLING, AFFORD LAWYERS TO HELP AFFORD ACTIVITIES LIKE TAX AVOIDANCE.
2) THE LAW IN CAPTIALIST SOCIETY
Marxists believe that the laws benefit the ruling class and controls the working class. functionalist believe that the laws is based on what everyone in society believes but Marxists disagree.
evidence - White collar crimes & corporate crimes although is widely spread but is ignored since majority in society would believe that its not criminal. Box argues this is due to people having different ideas on what crime means i.e. usually associated with street crimes is seen as criminal. companies also have the power to avoid being called a criminal.
REIMAN (2001)
Reiman argues that if a crime was committed by someone who is wealthy and powerful then it is less likely for it to be treated as a crime. furthermore, police may not have the resources to investigate complexed crimes like CC so they tend to be left as it is.
c. however sometimes the law acts upon crimes that have been committed by ruling class, for instance the punishment for corporate crimes result in the imprisonment.
cc. Marxists argue this only occurs sometimes to make the law seem fair but this isn’t the case.
LAW ENFORCMENTS & SNIDER
law enforcements tends to be more selective and lenient on the ruling class for instance; for benefit fraud usually committed by working class if identified guilty would result in imprisonment. on the other hand, tax fraud committed by middle class usually gives the individual or the company many chances to pay the money back rather than imprisonment.
snider says that the laws created by the ruling class can also be seen as the laws that are never passed on i.e. very few laws are passed on to threaten businesses in making money.
C. not all laws benefit the ruling class for instance the banning of ownership of certain guns or fox hunting, this has led to a division where some of the ruling class supported other did not.
3) IDEOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF LAW
Gordon argues that the laws are mainly focused on the working class, this prevents revolution. divides the working class into CRIMINALS AND NON-CRIMINALS. it prevents CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS, as a non criminal working class may think that they are nothing like with those who are in prison.
OVERALL crit of the Marxist approach
- focuses to much on class and theory neglects other factors like ethnicity or gender
- crimes still occur in COMMUNIST societies, CAPITALISM IS NOT THE REASON FOR IT. BUT Marxist would reject this since they believe countries are not truly regarded as communist.
- LEFT REALISTS argue that the theory heavily focuses on corporate crimes and white collar crimes, they neglect the real problem which is working class street crimes, impacts working class communities.
