Marxist theory

Question 2

Marxism and capitalism

Answer 2

Society: RC - owns means of production, WC - exploits for profit. Capitalism is criminiogenic - causes crime itself

Question 3

Explaining WC crime

Answer 3

Exploitation for profit. PACE P= poverty “only way”. A= Alienation - non utilitarian crime due to frustration and anger

Question 4

Explaining RC crime

Answer 4

Green due to competition of capitalist society/profit. Corporate crimes > tax evasion and breaching of health and safety laws

Question 5

Evaluation of explanations

Answer 5

Too deterministic> not all poor people commit crime despite P and A. Not all capitalist societies have high crime rates, e.g. Japan has lower crime rates than USA

Question 6

State and law making

Answer 6

Law enforcement is selective and serves the RC > prevents new laws that may harm the RC interests > e.g. Few laws challenge the equal distrubtion of wealth

Question 7

Selective enforcement

Answer 7

Reiman - crimes by powerful are less likely to be treated as a criminal offence. Carson - 200 firms breaking h&s laws but only 1.5% were prosecuted. Crimes appears more WC > makes them turn on each other rather than capitalism

Question 8

Ideological functions of crime and law

Answer 8

False consciousness - put in h&s laws to look good “caring face”.

Question 9

Neo Marxism - critical criminology

Answer 9

Taylor, Walton & young agree with T.R in that exploitation and inequality can be a cause of crime BUT Taylor et al rejects T.M idea that crime only occurs because of economic need

Question 10

Taylor et al - voluntarism

Answer 10

We have free will. Crime is a concsious choice > more political movement than economic > redistribute the wealth from rich to poor “robin hood” effect

Question 11

Evaluations

Answer 11

Feminist = gender blind. LR = romanticising criminals to be the victims