Marxist Theory on crime

Question 1

Traditional marxism on crime

Answer 1

• crime and deviance are an outcome of a capatalist society which is based on wide ranging inequalities.
• the powerful or ruling class dictate what contitutes crime and deviance throguh their control of legislative process

-the crime of the powerful are not dealt with seriously.
therefore the state police and law enformcement act on behalf of the r/c to protect their position

Question 2

Who breaks the law and why

Answer 2

Based on exploitation of w/c.
And consumerism and materialism(value owning products more than anything).Crime can be the only means to gain these products.

• workers exploitation leads to frustration resulting in agression and non utilitarian crimes
• r/c also break law bc c encourages dog eat dog competition as a result they commit white collar and corporate crimes such as tax evasion.

Question 3

what is the purpose of the law

Answer 3

purpose of law is to serve interests of the r/c,in three ways;
1.the r/c can use their influence to direct the type of laws to be introduced as well as to prevent certain laws from being passed.
2.Reiman-the law is enforced selectively by CJS targeting w/c ignoring crime of powerful making crime appear to be a w/c phenomenon
3.helps maintain false class consciousness.EGlaws are passed to benefit w/c such as health and safety at work laws
Pearce argues that such laws benefit r/c by keeping workers fit for work

Question 4

evaluation of traditonal marxist theory on crime

Answer 4

STRENGTHS:
-it explains wider structural factors
-explains both utilitarian and non utilitarian crimes
WEAKNESS:
-deterministic as believed behaviour is governed by external forces
-do not fully explain why many w/c do not commit crime
-socialist states also have high crime rates