Marxist theories of crime✅

Question 1

what do marxists think cause crime

Answer 1

• capitalism itself causes crime
• system is based on exploitation of w/c
• leads to increasing wealth of one class and increasing poverty of the other

Question 2

describe Gordon’s view of capitalism being criminogenic

Answer 2

• crime is inevitable as capitalism by nature causes crime
• crime is the only way w/c can obtain consumer goods that they are encouraged by advertising to buy
• this results in utilitarian crimes eg. theft
• crime is a rational response to the capitalist system and is found in all social classes

Question 3

according to Gordon, why does alienation and lack of control over their lives result in crime in ALL social classes?

Answer 3

W/C=
- to survive poverty
- to gain consumer goods
- to release anger and frustration caused by alienation

U/C=
- to gain profit (eg: tax evasion)

Question 4

what are some contemporary examples that highlight Gordon’s work

Answer 4

• summer 2024 riots
  –> W/C releasing anger/frustration due to alienation
• capitalism made them think immigrants are causing unemployment

Question 5

describe Chambliss’ Selective Law Making theory

Answer 5

• see law as something created by the ruling class to serve interests of wealthy capitalist class
• from this perspective, legal acts may be harmful or some groups may view some illegal acts as harmless (eg: revolutionary activism)

Question 6

how does Graham elaborate on Chambliss’ Selective Law Making Theory

Answer 6

• looked at how government policed illegal trade in drugs
• found that politicians agreed to not greatly restrict amphetamine production and distribution as most of it was sold by large profitting pharmaceutical companies rather than ‘criminals’

Question 7

what did Snider find in regards to Selective Law Making

Answer 7

capitalist governments are reluctant to pass laws to regulate the activities of businesses that may threaten their profitability

Question 8

describe Reiman’s Selective Enforcement of Laws theory

Answer 8

• ‘street crimes’ are much more likely to be reported and persued compared to ‘white collar’ crimes
• therefore the more likely a crime is to be committed by higher class people, the less likely it is to be treated as a criminal offense

Question 9

what does Gordon say regarding selective enforcement of laws

Answer 9

• helps to maintain ruling class power and reinforce ruling class ideology
• gives impression that criminals are mainly w/c
• divides workers and encourages workers to blame criminals for problems rather than capitalism

Question 10

give an example of how Laws perform an ideological function

Answer 10

• laws are occasionally passed to apear to benefit the w/c
• Box notes how these are often not for the benefit of the workers
• eg: health and safety laws give capitalism a ‘friendly face’ however it just keeps individuals fit to continue working

Question 11

what are some overall A03 points of traditional Marxist views on crime

Answer 11

• builds on work of labelling theorists✅
• ignores link between crime and non-class inequalities❌
• neo-marxists argue it is too deterministic❌

Question 12

describe an A03 point of traditional marxist views on crime regarding building on the work of labelling theorists ✅

Answer 12

• both agree that the creation/enforcement of laws are socially constructed to benefit the powerful
• however Marxists fgo further and explain where the source of power comes from (capitalism and ruling class)

Question 13

describe an A03 point of traditional Marxist views on crime regarding ignoring the link between crime and non-class inequalities

Answer 13

feminists argue that laws are created to benefit men and maintain patriarchy

Question 14

describe an A03 point of traditional Marxist views on crime regarding determinism

Answer 14

• Neo-Marxists argue traditional Marxists are too deterministic
• they need to look at individual choice –> voluntaristic
• crime is a meaningful and conscious choice

Question 15

describe the Neo-Marxist view on crime

Answer 15

• recognise there are problems with the traditional Marxist view
• recognise w/c criminals made an active choice to break law
• however, they argue that this was sometimes a positive political act against the bourgeoisie
  –> EG: Black Panthers were a rights group that broke law during political activism

Question 16

describe Young and Taylor’s The New Crimonology

Answer 16

• when considering any deviant act, they argued Marxists should consider:
  1. the wider origins of the deviant act
  2. the immediate origins of act
  3. the actual act
  4. the immediate origin of social reactions
  5. the wider origins of social reaction
  6. the outcomes of social reaction of deviant’s further action

Question 17

describe ‘1. the wider origins of the deviant act’ as something Marxists should consider according to Young and Taylor

Answer 17

• radical criminologists need to locate the deviant act within the wider societal system : capitalism and all inequalities that go with it

Question 18

describe ‘2. the immediate origins of act’ as something Marxists should consider according to Young and Taylor

Answer 18

• the social context in which an individual chooses to commit a crime

Question 19

describe ‘3. the actual act’ as something Marxists should consider according to Young and Taylor

Answer 19

attention needs to be given to the individual concerned

Question 20

describe ‘4. the immediate origin of social reaction’ as something Marxists should consider according to Young and Taylor

Answer 20

immidiate response to those around the deviant
eg: family, police

Question 21

describe ‘5. the wider origins of social reaction’ as something Marxists should consider according to Young and Taylor

Answer 21

the immediate reaction needs to be located in the wider social system
- particular attention payed to who has the power to define act as deviant

Question 22

describe ‘6. the outcome of social reaction on deviant’s further action’ as something Marxists should consider according to Young and Taylor

Answer 22

important to recognise the effects of the labelling process on the deviant

Question 23

describe Hall’s Moral panic

Answer 23

• in the ’70s an outbreak of ‘mugging’ created moral panic
• mugging = socially constructed
• media amplification lead to further spiralling

Question 24

how did Hall break down his Moral Panic analysis using Taylor and Young’s Theory

Answer 24

1. the wider origins of crime
   = economic recession/ crisis of hegemony
2. the immediate origins of act
   = high unemployment particularly among black men
3. act itself
   = muggings –> need money to survive
4. the immediate social reaction
   = media outrage and police targeting
5. wider origins of social reaction
   = scapegoating, dividing the w/c
6. the outcome of social reaction
   = police racism, no revolution

Question 25

what are some overall A03 points of the Neo-Marxist view on crime

Answer 25

• less deterministic ✅
• left realists criticise ❌
• fails to explain intra-class crime❌

Question 26

describe an A03 point of Neo-Marxism regarding determinism

Answer 26

• less deterministic than traditional marxism
• recognises individuals’ free will

Question 27

describe an A03 point of Neo-Marxism regarding left realists criticising

Answer 27

• romantisises w/c criminals as ‘robin hoods’
  –> fighting capitalism by redistributing wealth
• ignores the effect it has on victims

Question 28

describe an A03 point of Neo-Marxism regarding failing to explain intra-class crime

Answer 28

• if crime results from individuals wanting to make society fairer it fails to explain intra-class crimes
  (when victim and perpetrator belong to same class)