Marxist Theories On Crime Flashcards
According to Marxists, what is the driving force behind crime?
Social inequality
how is our society criminogenic?
As crime is a natural outgrowth of capitalist society due to its emphasis on economic gain and materialistic success. Therefore, crime is a natural response to the unfair inequality in capitalist society.
Briefly outline the two features of Marxist theories that are argued by Chambliss.
Firstly, the laws protect the ruling class to maintain a capitalist society and keep the working class down. Agents of control including the police criminalise people who oppose the ruling class.
Secondly, through selective law enforcement there is one rule for the ruling class and another for the rest of society with all of crime control focused on the working class.
What is the effect of selective law enforcement?
Over-represents working class in crime statistics and gives false impressions that most crime is committed by working class. This diverts attention away from serious white collar and corporate crime committed by the working class.
What do neo-Marxists believe about the Marxist perspective on crime?
It is too deterministic. No one is forced to commit crime beyond their control. Crime should still be considered a voluntary act.
What was the neo-Marxist theory developed by Taylor et al called? And what did it propose?
The full social theory of crime and deviance. This theory proposed a much wider perspective on crime considering various aspects including: reasons behind each criminal act, role played by police, courts, mass media and capitalism.
What does neo-Marxist Gilroy believe working class crime was?
A form of police Rasicm and harassment
Explain the ‘myth of black criminality’
Gilroy proposed that the Afro-Caribbean’s are no more racist than whites but are labelled and treated by the criminal justice system unfairly. The myth of black criminality is used to distract away form larger societal problems such as unemployment.
What did Neo-Marxist Hall believe crime was used for?
Hall believed crime was used to reassert the dominance of the ruling class when it was under threat.
Evaluate Marxist and neo-Marxist theories of crime.
Help locate crime in wider context of inequalities of power and wealth and demonstrate how law reflects differences in power between social groups.
Overemphasises class inequalities in relation to crime and fails to provide any solution to crime apart from eradicating capitalism.
