Crime And Deviance - Postmodernist Theories Of Crime Flashcards
What do postmodernists think about society & crime?
They think society is diverse, fragmented, uncertain & risky
Crime is seen as socially constructed and reflects an outdated meta narrative of the law
What approach do postmodernists take to crime?
A transgressive approach
Who speaks about the transgressive approach and what do they say?
Henry & milovanovic -> crime should be reconceptualised (people use power to show disrespect for & causing harm of some sort to others whether it is illegal or not
SOCIOLOGIST: What are the 2 forms of harm according to Henry & Milovanovic?
Harms of reduction
Harms of repression
What are harms of reduction?
Power used to cause a victim to experience some immediate loss/injury
What are harms of repression?
Power used to restrict future human development -> brings wider range of actions into criminal net (illegal/not)
- include harms that threaten human dignity/respect e.g. hate crimes, sexual harassment (people attacked/abused due to some characteristics that make them appear different)
What are the causes of crime according to individualism & crime?
They are undiscoverable -> each crime is a one-off event (reasons can be intangible emotional reasons)
SOCIOLOGIST: What do Levin & McDevitt say about hate crimes?
Perpetrators find thrills, joys & excitement as well as an enable from everyday routines by inflicting suffering on those perceived to be different from them
How is postmodernism different from other theories in terms of explaining crime?
Other theories explain crime and deviance in relation to social structure, core values or dominant ideology however postmodernism describes society as fragmented and the metanarratives of social class, family etc. have been replaced by uncertainty & individual choice meaning there are less restraints for committing crime
SOCIOLOGY: What is edgework described by Lyng & Katz?
Crime is committed for excitement & thrills (exploring boundaries between legal & criminal behaviour)
It may be a motivation for crime for people at various times (particularly young w class men -> lack means of winning status & respect from peers)
There are a range of motivations for crime other than material gain (causes of crime lie in the individual not society) & may be committed for the kicks of doing so
Katz agreed -> some people find crime seductive & pleasurable
What are the strengths of postmodernist explanations for crime?
Recognises there are other causes of crime beyond structural theories (dominate in sociology of crime & deviance)
Offers explanations for non-utilitarian crime (no material benefit)
Provides a fuller picture of crime than that traditionally provided -> ‘harm’ encompasses large range of behaviour that is neglected in the law & sociological theories
What are the criticisms of postmodernist explanations for crime?
Doesn’t explain why most people dont use their power to harm others & why particular individuals/groups find it necessary to engage in acts of harm -> Lea (traditional theories still provide useful explanation)
Fails to recognise that the consumer society (personal identity & fulfilment + purchase of consumer goods) leads to resentment amongst those who cannot participate
Fails to recognise why people still have strong conceptions of right & wrong behaviour (underpin law & sociological theory)
Lea -> post modernist theories are not much more that a re-discovery of labelling theory/radical criminology (concluded that crime simply a social construction & power is a crucial element in it)
