Marxism

Question 1

Marxist Overview

Answer 1

Argue that the nature and organisation of capitalism creates potential for criminal behaviour. How the economy is organised will determine society’s norms, values and what is defined as criminal behaviour. They believe that class conflict causes crime.

Question 2

3 Key Aspects to Crime and Deviance

Answer 2

1) Law represents the interest of the ruling class
2) All crime is a result of ‘class struggle’
3) Link between an individual’s relationship with the means of production and crime.

Question 3

Gordon: Class Inequalities

Answer 3

Claims that the nature of capitalism is criminogenic; it promotes criminal activity by all classes, not just the working class. However, this is not reflected in the statistics of crime and deviance.
1) Class inequality - WC crime is a realistic and rational response to the inequality in society.
2) Ideologies of capitalism are criminogenic - encourages criminal behaviour in all classes.

Question 4

Reckless: Bimodal Theory of Crime Distribution

Answer 4

Supports the view by Gordon, that crime is throughout all social classes. Reckless suggests that crime is most frequent among the upper and lower classes, although the crimes of the upper classes are rarely reflected in the official crime statistics. This is also known as the dark figure of crime.

Question 5

Quinney: Laws Reflect Ruling Class

Answer 5

• Laws reflect the interest of the bourgeoisie
• Law is an instrument of the state and ruling class, used to maintain social and economic order
• Only with the collapse of capitalist society and the creation of a new society based on socialism will there be a solution to anomie.

Question 6

Chambliss: Crime of Inequality

Answer 6

Argues that there is too much focus on the crimes of the poor, rather than the crime of inequality, which is the main cause of crime. Laws will expand to force proletariat into submission.

Question 7

Chambliss: 5 Key Points

Answer 7

Polarisation > Gap between bourgeoisie and the proletariat will grow as will inequality.
Diversion > Diverts our attention from class inequalities, surplus value, rather than capitalist system.
Reality > Ruling class benefit from crime existing, are able to redefine crime
Conditions > Crime is a reaction to the life conditions of a person’s social class
Socialism > Socialism is the answer, socialist societies would have a much lower crime rate, reducing inequality.

Question 8

Chambliss and Seidman

Answer 8

• Law is a tool for those in power
• Judges are members of ruling class, favour the wealth. Biased due to their privileged socialisation
  1) Unfair treatment to the poor
  2) Social position of judges

Question 9

Cullen and Agnew

Answer 9

Capitalist economic structure has a harmful impact on youth opportunities, resulting in young people turning to crime.

Question 10

Greenberg: Masculine Status Anxiety

Answer 10

Capitalist system is unable to provide full-time jobs for teenagers, which strengthens inequality. Peer group activities, requiring money, increase adolescent theft, and ‘masculine status anxiety.’ Young men who are unable to obtain and fulfil traditional male role.

Question 11

Snider: Laws Benefit Ruling Class

Answer 11

Capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws against ruling class. Government wants to attract and protect investment and wealth creation.

Question 12

Althusser: Ideological State Apparatus

Answer 12

Argued that law is an ideological state apparatus supported by the police, which form part of the repressive state apparatus. Maintain class inequality in 4 ways;
1) Laws protect the major priorities of capitalism
2) Health and safety rather than criminal offence
3) Law enforcement is selective, favouring rich
4) Crimes committed by higher-class people are less likely to be criminal offences.

Question 13

Bonger: Crime threatens interests of bourgeoisie

Answer 13

The powerful are able to define crime as anything which threatens their interests such as property crime. There is more focus on this type of crime, than the crimes of the rich. Poor people commit crime for two reasons;
1) To survive the economic system which unequally distributes wealth
2) Demoralising effect of being impoverished

Question 14

Sutherland: ‘White Collar’ Crime

Answer 14

Coined the term ‘white collar crime’, he described this as crime committed by people of respectability and high social status in the course of their occupation.

Question 15

Pearce: Crimes of the Powerful

Answer 15

• Crimes committed by states and corporations
• Corporate abuse of power
• Describes how ruling class are involved in crimes

Question 16

Croall: Gaining from white collar crime

Answer 16

People who own the means of production have greater opportunity than most to make large sums of money from crime.