Marxism

Question 1

Marxist theories of crime

Answer 1

Marx argued that the laws were generally the codified (written down officially) means by which one class, the rulers, kept another class, the rest of us- in check.

Question 2

Criminogenic capitalism

Answer 2

Marxists argue that this means that the very nature of capitalism makes crime inevitable amongst the proletariat and the bourgeoisie 
Capitalism encourages a 'dog eat dog' mentality and this leads to white collar crime 
The working class are exploited by capitalism and therefore either forced into poverty or crime

Question 3

The state a law making

Answer 3

Unlike functionalists who see law as a values consensus Marxists argue that laws are written for the benefit of the bourgeoisie
Marxists argue that laws which have been passed o benefit the working class are either weak enforced or modified o suit he interests of the bourgeoisie eg marketization - people are manipulated into thinking that the laws protect/benefit them but they don't

Question 4

The state and law enforcement

Answer 4

Marxists argue that although all classes commit crime, when it comes to the application of the law by the criminal justice system there is a selective law enforcement

Question 5

Gordon

Answer 5

Argued that crime is a rational response to the capitalism system and hence it is found in all social classes- even though the official statistics make it appear to be a largely working class phenomenon

Question 6

Snider

Answer 6

States that the capitalist state is often reluctant to pass laws that threaten the profitability of large businesses eg bedroom tax, universal tax credits, regulating banks, cooperation tax

Question 7

Box

Answer 7

The bourgeoisie has the power to prevent laws being passed which are not in its interests eg stricter health and safety laws, anit-pollution laws etc. Law enforcement favours the rich. Benefit fraud gets a prison sentence but tax evasion rarely gets punished.

Question 8

Manheim

Answer 8

Most laws which have been passed are concerned with protecting private property which is the cornerstone of capitalism (to keep the money in the hands of the rich, don’t want the proletariat taking their wealth or threatening their position)

Question 9

Thatcher Government

Answer 9

Passed a number of laws which restricted the power of the trade union (who represent the proletariat) for example secondary picketing was made illegal

Question 10

Secondary Picketing

Answer 10

People in one workplace could no go o the picket line in support of workers in another workplace- limits workers’ power o defend their rights

Question 11

Reimans

Answer 11

Shows the more likely a crime is to be committed by a higher class person, the less likely it is to be treated as a criminal offense

Question 12

Whyte

Answer 12

Crime language- “accident” vs “feral”
Social control- police (working class crimes) vs investigations by agencies (corporate crimes)
The higher power (bourgeoisie- government, cooperation) have power over what data/information gets published (secondary data)

Question 13

Chambliss

Answer 13

The Saints & Roughnecks

Question 14

The Saints

Answer 14

White upper-middle class, academically successful, active in school affairs
Some of the most delinquent boys at the high school “occasionally sowed a few wild oats”
People were unaware of the extent to which the Saints engaged in delinquency
Constantly occupied with truancy, drinking, wild driving, petty theft and vandalism- not one was arrested