Marxist Theories Of Crime

Question 1

Capitalism is crimogenic

Answer 1

• capitalism encourages individuals to pursue self interest rather than duty
• capitalism encourages indviduals to be materialistic consumers making us apire to an unrealistic and often unattainable lifestyle
• capitalism generates massive inequality and poverty, conditions which are correlated with higher crime rates

Question 2

David Gordon

Answer 2

Capitalist societies are ‘dog eat dog societies’ in which each individual company and each individual is encouraged to look out for thier own interests before others. There is immense competitive pressure to make more money and to be successful and make more money. In such a context breaking the law can seem insignifcant compated to the pressure to succeed

Question 3

Advertising

Answer 3

Companies such as Coca Cola and McDonald’s spend billions of dollars every year on advertising, morphing their products into fantastical images - art of disinformation
Modern capitalism couldn’t exist without the culture of consumerism that advertising perpetuates
Advertising creates conditions that can lead to status frustration which can lead to crime

Question 4

Bauman

Answer 4

The super wealthy effectively segregate themselves from the wealthy through living in exclusive gated communities and travelling in private jets and armoured vechiles with security. This visible evidence of massive inequaliies giving the people at the bottom a sense of injustice, anger and frurstration

Question 5

Chambliss - economic crime

Answer 5

Economic crime ‘ represents rational responses to the competitiveness and inequality of life in capitalist societies - drug dealers see themselves as innovative entrenpreneurs.

Question 6

Chambliss property rights

Answer 6

Roughly 100000 people recognised as homeless in the uk and 300000 houses lying empty

Question 7

Snider

Answer 7

Capitalist states are reluctant to pass laws which regulate large capitalist concerns and which might threaten profitability such as pollution, worker health and safety

Question 8

Unequal access to the law

Answer 8

Having money to hire a good lawyer can delay trials which can influence one’s sensitive
Poorer criminals tend to recieve harsher punishments

Question 9

White collar crime

Answer 9

Crimes commited in the furtherance of an individual’s own interests often against the coorporations of organisations within which they work

Question 10

Corporate crime

Answer 10

Crimes committed by or for coporations which act to further their interests and have serious phsyical or economic impact on employees

Question 11

Case study - Bernie Madoff

Answer 11

2009- madoff was sentenced to maximum 150 years in prison for masterminding 150 years for masterminding a £38bn fraud claiming nearly 9000 victimd

Question 12

David Gordon - selective law enforcement

Answer 12

Police mainly focus on policing working class and ignore the crimes of the elite 
The disproprotionate prosecution of working class individuals ultimately serves to maintain ruling class power and to reinforce ruling class idealogy 
1. By punishing individuals and making them responsible for their actions,defining these individuals as ‘social failures’ .
2. The imprisonement of selected members of lower classes neutralises opposition 
3. The imprisonment of many members of the underclass also sweeps out of sight the worst jetsam of capitalist society