Crime Marxism Flashcards
What do marxists agree with labelling theorists on
That the law is enforced disproportionately against the WC and that the official crime stats cannot be taken at face value
What do marxists critique labelling theorists for
For failing to examine the wider structure of capitalism within which law making, law enforcement and offending take place
Marxism- how is crime inevitable in capitalism
Because capitalism is criminogenic
Marxism- how is capitalism criminogenic (3)
- poverty may mean that crime is the only way that the wc can survive
- crime may be the only way to obtain the consumer goods encouraged by capitalism (utilitarian crime)
- social exclusion may lead to non-utilitarian crime
Marxism- what does Gordon suggest
That it is not that the wc commit crime, but that they do not commit more of it
Marxism- how is crime not just a wc phenomenon
Capitalism is a system if competition amongst capitalist and the profit motive encourages a mentality of greed.- Encouraging MC capitalists to commit white collar and corporate crimes such as tax evasion
Marxism- what does Gordon argue that crime is
A rational response to the capitalist system and hence it is found in all social classes, despite the official statistics making it appear to be a largely WC phenomenon
How do marxists see law making and law enforcement as
As only serving the interests of the capitalist class
Marxism- other than serious crimes such as murder, what is the majority of law in the UK
Property law
What does Chambliss argue about private property laws
That laws to protect private property are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy. They serve to keep the WC away from the property and land of the rich
What do the ruling class have the power to do
The ruling class have the power to prevent the introduction of laws that would threaten their interests. This means that there are few laws that seriously challenge the unequal distribution of wealth
What does Sinder argue
That the capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws that regulate the activities of businesses or threaten their profitability. This is because it could threaten ruling class interests.
How does the law, crime and criminals perform and ideological function for capitalism
Laws are occasionally passed that appear to be for the benefit of the WC rather than capitalism, such as workplace health and safety laws.
However, what does Pearce argue about the laws that are created in the interests of the wc?
Pearce argues that such laws often benefit the ruling-class too- for example by keeping workers fit for work.
By giving capitalism a ‘caring face’ what do such laws create
Such laws create a false consciousness among the workers. But such laws aren’t rigorously enforced
What did Jenabi find out
That despite a new law against corporate homicide being passed in 2007, in its first 8 years there was only 1 successful prosecution of a UK company, despite the large numbers of deaths at work estimated to be caused by employers’ negligence
Furthermore, because the state enforces the law selectively, what does crime appear to largely be
A WC phenomenon
What does Gordon argue about crime mostly appearing to be a WC phenomenon
Gordon thinks this not only diverts attention from ruling class crime bur also divides the WC because the WC criminals become the target of the anger, rather than the system (capitalism) itself
How does the media and some criminologists also contribute
By portraying criminals as disturbed individuals, thereby concealing the fact that it is the nature of capitalism that makes people criminals
What does Chambliss suggest that crime control is focused on
On the WC; who are those most likely to be prosecuted for crime. Those of higher social classes are less likely to be prosecuted for offences, and, if they are, generally get treated more leniently. Also, if company bosses are charged, they have the money to buy the best legal advice
What is the impression in official statistics
That crime is mostly a WC phenomenon due to selective enforcement
What did Chambliss study
He studied crime in Seattle and found that those in power were able to use their power to conduct criminal activity and to avoid prison. He found an organised crime syndicate which included elite businessmen and politicians who used money and influence to bribe officials
Evaluation- negative
It largely ignores the relationship between …
It largely ignores the relationship between crime and non-class inequalities such as ethnicity and gender
Evaluation- negative
It is too deterministic…
And over-predicts the amount of crime in the WC: not all poor people commit crime, despite the pressures of poverty
Evaluation- negative
The criminal justice system does sometimes act against …
The interests of the capitalist class. For example, prosecutions of corporate crime do occur. However, Marxists argue that such occasional prosecutions perform an ideological function in making the system seem impartial
Evaluation- negative
What do left- realists argue
That Marxism ignores the intra-class crimes, where both the criminals and victims are WC, such as burglary and ‘mugging’, which cause great harm to victims. Marxist theories focus too much on corporate crime
Evaluation- negative
What do feminists argue
That the theory ignores the role of patriarchy in rule creation and social control
Neo-marxism
They argue that choosing crime is …
A voluntary act. They couple this with a view that WC crimes like theft, vandalism, burglary are meaningful and symbolic political acts of resistance to ruling class oppression
Neo-marxism
What do Taylor, Walton and young agree with Marxists on (3)
- capitalist society is based on exploitation and class conflict and characterised by extreme inequalities of wealth and power
- the state makes and enforces laws in the interests of the capitalist class and criminalises members of the WC
- capitalism should be replaced with a classless society to reduce the extent of crime or even rid society or crime entirely
Neo-marxism
However, how do Taylor, Walton and Young’s ideas differ from Marxists
They suggest that that to fully understand crime and deviance, how it was socially constructed and the motivations of offenders and the meanings they gave to their crimes, it was necessary to draw on both structural and interactionist approaches
Neo-marxism
What did Taylor, Walton and Young aim to create
A comprehensive understanding of crime and deviance that would help to change society. They want to implement strategies to overcoming the crime
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: anti-determinism
What dd Taylor, Walton and Young argue about Marxism
That it is too deterministic. It sees workers as driven to commit crime out of economic necessity. They reject this explanation, along with theories that claim crime is caused by other external factors such as anomie, subcultures or labelling, or by biological or psychological factors
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: anti-determinism
Instead Taylor, Walton and Young take a …. view
They take a voluntaristic view- the idea that we have free will.
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: anti-determinism
How do T, W and Y see crime
As meaningful action and a conscious choice by the actor. They argue that crime often has a political motive, for example to distribute wealth from the rich to the poor. Criminals are not passive people whose behaviour is shaped by capitalism; they are deliberately striving to change society
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: A fully social theory of deviance
What was the first aspect of the theory of deviance
The wider origins id the deviant act- the unequal distribution of wealth and poor in capitalist society
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: A fully social theory of deviance
What was the SECOND aspect of the theory of deviance
The immediate origins of the deviant act- the particular context in which the individual decides to commit the act
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: A fully social theory of deviance
What was the THIRD aspect of the theory of deviance
The act itself and its meanings for the actor- was it a form of rebellion against capitalism?
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: A fully social theory of deviance
What was the FOURTH aspect of the theory of deviance
The immediate origins of social reaction- the reactions of those around the deviant, such as the police, family and community, to discovering the deviance
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: A fully social theory of deviance
What was the FIFTH aspect of the theory of deviance
The wider origins of social reaction in the structure of capitalist society- who has the power to define actions as deviant and to label others, and why are some acts treated more harshly than others?
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: A fully social theory of deviance
What was the SIXTH aspect of the theory of deviance
The effects of labelling on the deviant’s future actions- why does labelling lead to deviance amplification in some cases but not in others?
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: Amplification
Who was this theory applied by
Hall et al in their study of black mugging
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: Amplification
How did Hall et all analyse the situation of black mugging in terms of … (4 steps)
1) Social economic and political conditions- the country was In economic crisis. Unions and militants were threatening state power.
2) Motivations of the state-the government wanted to feel in control of the situation.
3) Motivations of the media- the press and broadcasters wanted a dramatic story
4) What happened- the police arrested more people. The media reported this and presented the muggers as a threat to society, creating and unjustified moral panic
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: Amplification
What did Hall et al suggest that crime was
That crime was used to reassert the dominance of ruling-class hegemony (the dominance in society of the ruling class’ set of ideas over others and acceptance of and consent to them by the rest of society). -This was achieved by diverting people’s attention away from the wider structural causes of the crisis onto the problem of mugging by scapegoating young black people
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: Amplification
To reassert hegemony ….
The ruling-class owned media stirred up the public by exaggerating the problem of black crime and created demands for something to be done to stamp it out.
Neo-marxism
Critical criminology: Amplification
What did Hall et all suggest the problem of black mugging
Hall et all suggest societal reaction to crime, fulled by media exaggeration created a moral panic (a wave of public concern about some exaggerated or imaginary threat to society, stirred up by overblown and sensationalised reporting in the media), shown my mounting public concerns about an alleged black crime, which helped to justify more repressive and aggressive policing. This became a means of re-establishing ruling-class hegemony in society rather than cracking down an opposition to the ruling class
Neo-marxism- Evaluation
What do Feminists criticise this theory for
For being ‘gender blind’, focusing excessively on male criminality and at the expense of female criminality
Neo-marxism- Evaluation
What do left-realists argue
That critical criminology romanticises WC criminals as ‘Robin Hoods’ who are fighting capitalism by redistributing wealth from the rich to the poor. However, in reality these criminals mostly prey on the poor. Taylor, Walton and Young are thought to not take this crime seriously and ignore its effects ln WC victims
Neo-marxism- Evaluation
What does Burke argue
That critical criminology is both too general to explain crime and too idealistic to be useful in tackling crime
Neo-marxism- Evaluation
Taylor, Walton and Young have all changed their views since their book was published. However, Walton and Young …
-Defend some aspects of the book. They argue that in calling for greater tolerance of diversity in behaviour, the book combated the ‘correctionalist bias’ in most existing theories
Neo-marxism- Evaluation
Explain the correctionalist bias
The assumption that sociology’s role is simply to find ways of correcting deviant behaviour. They also believe that the book laid some of the foundations for later radical approaches that seek to establish a more just society such as left realist and feminist theories
