Marxism

Question 1

Def: criminogenic

Answer 1

Criminogenic = Causes crime

Question 2

Def: mystification

Answer 2

Mystification = the public are mystified by being led to believe that the majority of crime is committed by a small working class - ignoring the crimes of the powerful

Question 3

Bonger

Answer 3

Crime is a natural response to capitalism. If you make people competitive, greedy and selfish, crime will follow. Also, people are driven to crime through poverty.

Capitalism is criminogenic

Question 4

Snider (1993)

Answer 4

There are as many deaths in the UK from industrial accidents as murders.

Industrial crime is more harmful and more expensive than street crime

Snider questions why we therefore focus on the crime committed by the working class

Question 5

Gordon (1976)

Answer 5

Crime come to be associated with the working class so that the bourgeoisie can control them. If crime is a w/c problem, the need to control them with a strong police force and prison becomes justified.

This also distracts attention from the misdeeds of the ruling class.

Question 6

Chambliss (1976)

Answer 6

Agrees with Gordon.

Studied crime in Seattle in the 1960s. Found most organised crime was controlled by a small elite group that included businessmen and politicians. At the same time as most crime was committed by this elite group, the police were concentrating their efforts on minor public offences.

Question 7

Steven Box (1983)

Answer 7

Crime and order in capitalist societies are applied selectively.

Police are more likely to identify young, w/c, black males as being criminals so supervise them more, so arrest them more.

This is a process of mystification: mystified public into thinking crime is committed by the w/c not the elite