marxism - why do people commit crime

Question 1

criminogenic capitalism

Answer 1

• crime is the only way for WC to escape poverty
• capitalism promotes consumer goods through the media
• alienation leads to frustration and aggression, resulting in vandalism, etc.
• American dream encourages RC to become wealthier
• leads to corporate crime, e.g. tax evasion

a03 - not all capitalist societies have high crime rate, japan has lower rate than america,

Question 2

state and law making

Answer 2

• laws enforced to protect private property
• RC have the power to protect their interests
• introduction of british law into east african colonies
• shows how laws serve economic interests of capitalism

CJS implements laws that benefit society e.g. NHS benefits health

Question 3

selective enforcement

Answer 3

• CJS chooses which crimes to prosecute + ignore
• WC are criminalised, RC are protected
• high rate of prosecutions for street crimes, usually by the WC, e.g. burgulary
• CJS ignores ‘crimes of the suites’
• when the CJS does prosecute RC crimes, it is used to make the system seem impartial, e.g. bernard madoff sentenced 150 years for fraud

Question 4

idealogical functions of crime and law

Answer 4

• law performs functions for capitalism by spreading ideas
• keeps workers passive
• laws benefitting workers are caring face to create false class consciousness
• directs inequality frustration onto WC criminals
• distorts crime stats by making crime look like a WC issue

policing the crisis - mugging blamed on WC black people