Marxist Criminology: Steven Spitzer

Question 1

Steven Spitzer like Chambliss believes that the segment of population that are a threat to Capitalism is the potentially problematic population that is criminalized. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 1

TRUE

Question 2

Is the appropriation and accumulation of capital protected by the ruling elite? YES OR NO what type of crimes were created to protect these interests?

Answer 2

YES,

THEFT AND FRAUD

Question 3

The appropriation of labor and the process of production are heavily guarded by the ruling elite. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 3

TRUE

Question 4

Are people who refuse to work or are unable to work more likely to be criminalized? YES OR NO

Answer 4

YES

VAGRANCY LAWS, LOITERING LAWS ETC.

Question 5

The approved patterns of distribution and consumption are heavily guarded by the ruling elite. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 5

TRUE

Question 6

Does society tell us how to have fun? YES OR NO

Answer 6

YES

Question 7

What are some of the ways society tells us to have fun?

Answer 7

movies, restaurants, bars etc.

Question 8

A Capitalist society wants us to consume what is going to help the ruling elite. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 8

TRUE

Question 9

A Capitalist society will make illegal all those things that are or will keep us from being productive members of society. For example marijuana, mushrooms, heroin etc.
TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 9

TRUE

Question 10

Are legal drugs like psychotropic drugs and antidepressants made to help us be productive? YES OR NO, name a couple of anti-depressants.

Answer 10

YES,

XANAX, PROZAC

Question 11

Legal pharma helps us assimilate into society and illegal drugs help us escape from society. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 11

TRUE

Question 12

4 THE SOCIALIZATION OF THE POPULATION INTO PRODUCTIVE ROLES

Answer 12

TRUE

Question 13

Why is truancy a crime?

Answer 13

schools train and condition us to be loyal workers

Question 14

As children we are taught patriotism by saying the pledge of allegiance. We then are conditioned to later join the military. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 14

TRUE

Question 15

The reason why gays were illegal is because the ruling elite were afraid of not having the next wave of workers. They wanted to maintain the child bearing man and women family nucleus. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 15

TRUE

Question 16

Prostitution is illegal because the elite want to reserve sex for the next generation of workers. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 16

TRUE

Question 17

5 The Dominant Capitalist Ideology are?

Answer 17

people who are proponent of alternative form of social economic and political organizations.

Question 18

Was the black panther party an example of a group after an alternative form of socioeconomic and political organization? YES OR NO

Answer 18

YES

Question 19

Are people who are proponents of alternative forms of socioeconomic and political organizations targets for criminalization? YES OR NO

Answer 19

YES

Question 20

Why was the KKK allowed to exist in society unlike the black panthers?

Answer 20

Because the KKK supports capitalist elite movements.

Question 21

Whether a group is criminalized or not depends on the relationship with the ruling class. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 21

TRUE

Question 22

Spitzer Factors:

What is the first factor of the factors that could determine whether a group is criminalized or not?

Answer 22

1- the extensiveness and intensity of state controls

Question 23

Where problem management is monopolized by the state people are more likely to be criminalized. Give an example.

Answer 23

A school problem where police are present is likely to be criminalized vs when police are not present its likely to be a disciplinary issue.

Question 24

2 The size and the level of threat presented by a problem population. Is the second factor in Spitzer’s theory. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 24

TRUE

Question 25

Who are the biggest size and level of threat?

Answer 25

Blacks and Latinos

Question 26

Blacks and Latinos are the biggest threat to the ruling white supremacy. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 26

TRUE

Question 27

3 The level of organization of problem populations is Spritzers’ third factor. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 27

TRUE

Question 28

Organizations that are economically, socially and politically POWERLESS will be more likely to be criminalized. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 28

TRUE

Question 29

It should be of no surprise that congress (ruling elite) is primarily white. Therefore the outsiders (blacks and latinos) will be target for criminalization. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 29

TRUE

Question 30

Are populations that are more organized OR POWERFUL are less likely to be criminalized. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 30

TRUE

Question 31

4 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL CONTROL SRUCTURES in other words . . .

Answer 31

Alternative social control organizations or structures could serve to control potentially problematic population.

Question 32

Give an example of how “Alternative social control institutions” could serve to control potentially problematic population.

Answer 32

Schools, churches, extended family, community and civic organizations.

Question 33

Do the previously mentioned institutions help to control potentially problematic institutions? YES OR NO

Answer 33

YES

Question 34

Where these institutions don’t exist or are scarce, criminalization fills the gap. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 34

TRUE

Question 35

5 AVAILABILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF OFFICIAL PROCESSING

Answer 35

Spitzer’s fifth factor

Question 36

What could the state do to provide jobs to all of these people in the surplus category?

Answer 36

encourage them to join the military.

Question 37

The state by providing opportunity to teens and young adults are essentially removing a potentially problematic population that could end up being criminals or worse yet revolting or protesting kids. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 37

TRUE

Question 38

By joining the military people now end up fighting for the capitalist system rather than revolting against the capitalist system. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 38

TRUE

Question 39

Other than joining the military a second control method is Public Works Projects. True or False

Answer 39

TRUE

Question 40

In the thirties they started a war (ww1) and second they began huge projects that required many laborers. Dams, Bridges, etc. TRUE OR FLASE

Answer 40

TRUE

Question 41

6 THE AVAILABILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PARALLEL CONTROL STRUCTURES; who is the prime example?

Answer 41

Organized Crime

Question 42

Does capitalism count on organized crime to employ individuals who would otherwise revolt or threaten the capitalist system? YES OR NO

Answer 42

YES

Question 43

Do capitalist count on organized crime to control the surplus’ behavior? YES OR NO

Answer 43

YES, because they are subject to Organized Crime rules of behavior.

Question 44

Does organized crime groups pacify, contain and enforce behavioral order among potentially problematic populations? YES OR NO

Answer 44

YES

Question 45

Unbeknownst to street level officers, is the executive branch of government serve to expand organized crime rather than suppress them? YES OR NO

Answer 45

YES, expand them, otherwise police could end up jobless and the surplus workforce could revolt against government if crime wasn’t an option to supplement income.

Question 46

7 THE UTILITY OF PROBLEM POPULATIONS; What does this mean?

Answer 46

Those who are indoctrinated to conform to the ruling elite are less likely to be criminalized.

Question 47

Why is it that police are not held accountable when they kill people who are not armed?

Answer 47

In order to show union among ruling elite and those who serve to protect their interests.

Question 48

Will police behavior be condoned if they attack potentially problematic populations. True or False

Answer 48

True

Question 49

Police try not to harass or intervene with rich white people because they could be held accountable. TRUE OR FALSE

Answer 49

TRUE

Question 50

Is it in the ruling elite interests to let cops kill potentially problematic groups? YES OR NO

Answer 50

YES