crime + deviance: class, power + crime

Question 1

what are the 3 main elements of Marxist view of crime?

Answer 1

-criminogenic capitalism
-the state + law making
-ideological functions of crime

Question 2

what is meant by criminogenic?

Answer 2

crime is inevitable in capitalism as capitalism is criminogenic - by its very nature it causes crime

Question 3

how does capitalism cause crime?

Answer 3

-poverty may mean crime is the only way for w/c to survive
-crime may be the only way to obtain consumer goods encouraged by capitalist advertising
-alienation + lack of control may lead to frustration + aggression

Question 4

what does Gordon argue?

Answer 4

crime is a rational response to the capitalist system so it is found in all social classes although official stats make it appear to be a w/c phenomenon

Question 5

who do Marxists believe law making + law enforcement benefit?

Answer 5

the interests of the capitalist/ ruling class

Question 6

what is selective enforcement?

Answer 6

while powerless groups such as w/c and minority ethnic groups are criminalised, the police + courts tend to ignore crimes of the powerful

Question 7

how do the law, crime and criminals perform an ideological function for capitalism?

Answer 7

laws are passed that appear to benefit w/c such as health safety when they often benefit ruling class such as keeping workers fit for work

Question 8

how do laws create false consciousness amongst workers?

Answer 8

gives capitalism a ‘caring’ face

Question 9

what is an example of these laws not being rigorously enforced?

Answer 9

after a new law against corporate homicide was passed, in 8 years there was only 1 successful prosecution

Question 10

what is the effect of the state enforcing the law selectively?

Answer 10

makes crime appear to be a working class phenomenon
this divides w/c by encouraging workers to blame criminals for their problems, not capitalism

Question 11

how do the media contribute?

Answer 11

by portraying criminals as disturb interviews so concealing the fact that it is the nature of capitalism that makes people criminals

Question 12

why is the Marxist approach criticised?

Answer 12

-ignores relationship between crime + non-class inequalities (gender + ethnicity)
-too deterministic + over predicts amount of w/c crime
-not all capitalist societies have high crime rates e.g. Japan

Question 13

how do Neo marxist views agree with marxists?

Answer 13

Taylor et al agrees that
-capitalist society is based on exploitation + class conflict
-state makes + enforces laws in the interest of capitalist class
-capitalism should be replaced by a classless society

Question 14

how does Taylor et al criticise marxism?

Answer 14

for being too deterministic

Question 15

instead what view does Taylor et al take?

Answer 15

voluntaristic, view that we have free will

Question 16

how do Neo marxists view crime?

Answer 16

as a meaningful action and a conscious choice from an actor

Question 17

what is a ‘fully social theory of deviance’ that Taylor et al try to create?

Answer 17

a comprehensive understanding of crime + deviance that would help to change society for the better

Question 18

what are the 2 main sources of the ‘fully social theory of devaince’?

Answer 18

-marxist ideas about the unequal distribution of wealth
-ideas from interactionism + labelling theory about effects of deviant labels + societal reactions

Question 19

in their view, what are 6 aspects needed in a complete theory of deviance?

Answer 19

1) wider origins of the deviant act
2)immediate origins of the deviant act
3)the act itself
4)immediate origins of social reaction
5)wider origins of social reaction
6)the effects of labelling

Question 20

why is Taylor et al criticised by feminists?

Answer 20

its ‘gender blind’
focuses excessively on male criminality and the expense of female criminality

Question 21

how do left realists criticise Taylor et al?

Answer 21

-critical criminology romanticises w/c criminals as being people who fight capitalism
-they ignore the effects of crime on w/c victims

Question 22

how does Burke criticise critical criminology?

Answer 22

it is too general to explain crime + too idealistic to be useful in tackling crime