Critical criminology Flashcards
Criminality and Economic conditions - Bonger
Capitalism is criminogenic; it produces crime because it rewards egoistic behaviour.
Inequalities in capitalism creates opportunities, perpetrators and motives.
Class, State and Crime - Quinney
The state is organised to serve the interests of the dominant classes.
Crime control is established through agencies and government elites.
Gramsci and the Birmingham school
conducted a neo-marxist analysis of Thatchers Britain.
explored the use of moral panic that were used by the elite to win political support.
The influence of culture and media on public opinion shapes how people see the world.
Policing the crisis - Stuart Hall
The police play a key role in upholding order, this order can be systematically prejudice and enables such views. E.g. racist police.
Conflict theory
Chambliss - criminal behaviour is the inevitable outcome of a coercive and exploitative economic system. Crime diverts the lower classes away from the real problems of the elite.
The impact of Marx
He was the starting point for students during the 60’s to create a new society.
People liked Marx because he wanted genuine change.
Marxist theory of capital
Everything outside of the economy is known as the superstructure.
These can range from education, family and religion.
For Marx you need social equality to have radical change in economic equality.