Marxist Theories of Crime and Deviance

Question 1

Introduction- Marxism as a relativistic theory

Answer 1

Marxism has a relativistic theory of deviance since it agrees with the view held by labelling theorists that labelling often results in further deviance. Marxists believe the law is enforced against powerless groups.

Question 2

Marxism as a structural theory

Answer 2

It is also a structural theory which examines crime in terms of wider society, rather than in terms of the individual.
The Marxist view is that the economic base determines the shape of the superstructure which is made up of all other institutions (such as the state and CJS) which function to serve the interests of the ruling class.

Question 3

Traditional Marxism

Answer 3

For traditional Marxists, capitalist society explains crime because:

• It is criminogenic
• laws serve the interests of the ruling class
• Laws are selectively enforced to punish only the WC
• Crime has an ideological function, creating false consciousness to further oppress the WC

Question 4

Explain why crime is criminogenic (because it gives rise to WC blue collar crime)

Answer 4

• Poverty may mean that crime is the only way the working class can survive since they are paid an unfair value for the product of their labour
• Crime may be the only way they can obtain the consumer goods encouraged by capitalist advertising
• Alienation and lack of control over their lives may lead to frustration and non utilitarian crime

Question 5

Explain why crime is criminogenic (because it encourages white collar crime)

Answer 5

Gordon- Capitalism is a ‘dog eat dog system’ of ruthless competition, while the profit motive encourages a mentality of greed and self interest. This leads to breaches of health and safety and tax evasion.

Question 6

Explain-The ruling class and law making

Answer 6

Marxists see law making as serving the interests of the capitalist class. They also prevent the introduction of laws that would threaten their interests.

Question 7

Chambliss

Answer 7

argues that laws to protect private property are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy. He illustrates this with the introduction of English law into African colonies, where a tax payable by cash forced the population to work on the plantations- serving the needs of the plantation owners

Question 8

Snider

Answer 8

argues that the capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws that threaten their position or profitability. Thus there are few laws that challenge the distribution of wealth

Question 9

Explain- selective law enforcement

Answer 9

Although all classes commit crime, when it comes to the enforcement of the law by the criminal justice system, there is selective enforcement. While powerless groups such as the working class are criminalised, the police and courts tend to ignore the crimes of the powerful

Question 10

Reiman

Answer 10

‘The rich get richer and the poor get prison’
Shows how the more likely a crime is to be committed by higher class people, the less likely it is to be treated as a criminal offence.
Disproportionately high rate of prosecutions for street crime. Yet for corporate/white collar crime, the criminal justice system takes a more forgiving view.

Question 11

Explain- ideological functions of Crime and law

laws to benefit the working class

Answer 11

Laws are occasionally passed that appear to be for the benefit of the working class rather than capitalism, such as work place health and safety laws. However, Pearce argues that such laws benefit the ruling class too-keeping workers fit to work. This also creates a false consciousness- where the capitalist class tries to fool society into thinking it is fair.

Question 12

Crime is a working class phenomenon

Answer 12

Because the state enforces laws selectively, crime appears to be a working class phenomenon. This divides the working class- encouraging workers to blame criminals in the midst of their problems, rather than capitalism

Question 13

Criminals are disturbed individuals

Answer 13

The media and some criminologists also contribute by portraying criminals as disturbed individuals, thereby concealing the fact that it is the nature of capitalism that makes people criminals.

Question 14

Strengths of traditional Marxism

Answer 14

+ Marxist theories puts insights of the labelling theory into a wider structural context
+ It brings attention to hidden crime figures- e.g. Slapper and Tombs argue corporate crime is under policed which encourages companies to use crime as a means of making profit, often at the expense of their workers or consumers.

Question 15

Criticisms of traditional Marxism

Answer 15

• ignores non class inequalities, such as gender and ethnicity
• deterministic- not all capitalist societies such as Japan and Switzerland, have high crime rates
• overlooks intra class crimes

Question 16

Neo Marxism

Answer 16

Neo Marxism combines traditional Marxist and interactionist ideas to form ‘The New Criminology’- a book published by Taylor, Walton and Young.

Question 17

It agrees with traditional Marxism that:

Answer 17

• Capitalism is based on exploitation and inequality. This is the key to understanding crime
• The state makes and enforces laws in the interests of capitalism and criminalises the WC
• Capitalism should be replaced by a classless society, which would greatly reduce crime

Question 18

Neo Marxists reject that crime is caused by external factors and agree with Interactionists who take a more voluntaristic view…

Answer 18

Neo Marxists believe that we have free will and that crime is a political choice often with a political motive

Question 19

A fully sociable theory of deviance is provided by Taylor, Walton and Young, which explain crime in seven steps. Hall’s study of mugging call be applied to this theory

Answer 19

1. The structure of capitalist society- period of recession, strikes and mass unemployment (1970’s)
2. Where the individual chooses to commit the deviant act- inner city riots in Northern Ireland
3. The actual act- mugging
4. Immediate origins of societal reaction- media outrage, police quite happy as diverts attention
5. Wider origins of deviant reaction- Afro Caribbean’s scapegoated by society
6. Outcomes of societal reaction- sense of injustice causes self fulfilling prophecy
7. Nature of deviant process as a whole- real causes of crime (capitalist economy and social unrest) are not addressed

Question 20

Evaluation of neo marxism

Answer 20

• criticised by feminists for being gender bling
• criticised by realists for romanticising working class criminals
  + However, Taylor, Walton and Young have defended their book, arguing that it is the sociologist’s role to understand criminal behaviour. It is then the responsibility of social control agencies to devise practical solutions to tackle it