Crime Topic 3 - Marxism & Social Class

Question 1

What do Marxists see as inevitable in a capitalist society?

Answer 1

Crime

Question 2

What are the two main approaches to crime and deviance discussed?

Answer 2

Traditional and neo-Marxist approaches

Question 3

According to official statistics, which social class is more likely to commit offences?

Answer 3

Working class

Question 4

What does Labelling Theory argue about official crime statistics?

Answer 4

They are problem takers assuming the stats are correct

Question 5

Which theorist argued that working class have their own subcultural values?

Answer 5

Miller

Question 6

What does Strain Theory (Merton) suggest about lower social classes?

Answer 6

They are denied opportunities and may pursue illegitimate means

Question 7

What concept do Cloward and Ohlin use to explain different crimes in the working class?

Answer 7

Illegitimate opportunity structures

Question 8

What is the Marxist view on the state and law?

Answer 8

They serve the interests of the ruling class

Question 9

What does criminogenic capitalism mean?

Answer 9

Capitalism by its nature causes crime

Question 10

List some reasons why crime may arise from capitalism according to Marxists.

Answer 10

• Poverty
• Consumer goods
• Alienation

Question 11

What is the term used for the selective enforcement of law against the working class?

Answer 11

Selective enforcement

Question 12

Who argued that crime is a rational response to capitalism?

Answer 12

Gordon

Question 13

What do Marxists believe about corporate crime compared to working class crime?

Answer 13

Corporate crime is often ignored

Question 14

What does Reiman’s quote ‘The rich get richer and the poor get prison’ suggest?

Answer 14

Higher-class crimes are less likely to be treated as offenses

Question 15

What is the ideological function of law in capitalism according to Marxists?

Answer 15

To create a false consciousness among workers

Question 16

What are health and safety laws seen as benefiting according to Pearce?

Answer 16

The ruling class

Question 17

What do Neo-Marxists argue against traditional Marxist views?

Answer 17

They argue Marxism is too deterministic

Question 18

What is the key idea of the New Criminology by Taylor, Walton, and Young?

Answer 18

Crime is a meaningful action undertaken by social actors

Question 19

What is white collar crime as defined by Sutherland?

Answer 19

A crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in their occupation

Question 20

What is corporate crime as redefined by Pearce and Tombs?

Answer 20

Any illegal act or omission resulting from negligence intended to benefit the business

Question 21

What types of corporate crime are identified by Tombs?

Answer 21

• Financial crime
• Crimes against consumers
• Crimes against employees
• Crimes against the environment
• State-corporate crime

Question 22

True or False: Neo-Marxists believe that crime is solely caused by external factors.

Answer 22

False

Question 23

Fill in the blank: According to Marxists, the law serves only the interests of the ______.

Answer 23

Ruling class

Question 24

What is one criticism of Marxist theories of crime?

Answer 24

They ignore the relationship between crime and non-class inequalities

Question 25

What does the term 'anti-determinism' refer to in Neo-Marxist thought?

Answer 25

The belief that individuals have free will in committing crimes

Question 26

What is the effect of labelling on deviant behavior?

Answer 26

Can lead to deviance amplification

Question 27

What concept refers to the working class causing harm to their own class?

Answer 27

Intra-class crime

Question 28

Who introduced the concept of 'abuse of trust' in relation to high-status professionals?

Answer 28

Burke

Question 29

What is a significant finding regarding corporate crime's impact compared to ordinary crime?

Answer 29

It causes more harm than ordinary crime

Question 30

What are the three dimensions of corporate crime identified by Tombs?

Answer 30

Physical, environmental, and economic costs

Question 31

What are the main categories of corporate crime?

Answer 31

Financial crime, crimes against consumers, crimes against employees, crimes against the environment, state-corporate crime ## Footnote Financial crime includes tax evasion, bribery, and money laundering. Crimes against consumers include false labelling and selling unfit goods. Crimes against employees include discrimination and wage law violations. Crimes against the environment involve illegal pollution. State-corporate crime involves harms committed by government institutions.

Question 32

What is a key characteristic of corporate crime compared to street crime?

Answer 32

Corporate crime is relatively invisible despite its cost and extent ## Footnote This invisibility is due to limited media coverage, lack of political will, complexity of crimes, de-labelling, and under-reporting.

Question 33

What are some reasons for the invisibility of corporate crime?

Answer 33

* Limited media coverage * Lack of political will * Complexity of crimes * De-labelling * Under-reporting ## Footnote For example, corporate crime is often defined as civil rather than criminal, leading to fewer prosecutions.

Question 34

True or False: Corporate crimes have increased in visibility since the financial crisis of 2008.

Answer 34

True ## Footnote Campaign groups like Occupy and UK Uncut have made corporate crimes, particularly tax avoidance, more visible.

Question 35

According to strain theory, what do companies do when they cannot achieve profit legally?

Answer 35

Employ illegal means ## Footnote This theory suggests that as a company's financial performance deteriorates, law violations may increase.

Question 36

What does Marxism suggest about corporate crime?

Answer 36

It is a result of the normal functioning of capitalism ## Footnote Marxism argues that capitalism creates an ideology that minimizes the perception of corporate crime's harm compared to working-class crime.

Question 37

What concept links crime to social learning in a corporate context?

Answer 37

Differential association ## Footnote Sutherland's theory posits that crime is learned behavior within a social context, particularly within a corporate culture that justifies criminal actions.

Question 38

Fill in the blank: According to labelling theory, whether an act is criminal depends on if a _______ has been successfully applied.

Answer 38

label ## Footnote The powerful often evade labeling due to their resources and the reluctance of law enforcement to investigate.

Question 39

What is a criticism of strain theory and Marxism regarding business crime?

Answer 39

They over-predict the amount of business crime ## Footnote Critics like Nelken argue it is unrealistic to assume all businesses would offend without the risk of punishment.

Question 40

What is one example of law-abiding behavior being more profitable for companies?

Answer 40

US pharmaceutical companies complying with the Federal Drugs Agency ## Footnote Compliance allows access to lucrative markets in poorer countries, increasing profit.

Question 41

What is 'deviant subculture' in the context of corporate crime?

Answer 41

A culture where employees adopt deviant means to achieve corporate goals ## Footnote This subculture socializes new members into these deviant practices.

Question 42

What are 'techniques of neutralisation'?

Answer 42

Justifications used by individuals to rationalize their deviant actions ## Footnote Examples include blaming orders or claiming that others are doing the same.