Neo-Marxist theories of crime

Question 1

What is Fully social theory?

Answer 1

A comprehensive understanding of crime and deviance for the betterment of society.

Question 2

What are the elements of fully social theory?

Answer 2

1) The wider origins of deviant acts
2) The immediate origins of deviance
3) The act itself
4) The immediate origins of the social reaction
5) The wider origins of the social reaction
6) The effect of labelling

Question 3

How can the fully social theory of crime applied to Hall: policing the crisis?

Answer 3

1) The 1970’s was a social crisis
2) Inner city Riots, conflict in northern ireland, strikes etc.
3) Mugging- the police suggested it was mostly likely to be carried out by African Caribbean men.
4) Media outrage over muggings. Racism within the MET.
5) Scape goat needed, so African Caribbean men were blamed.
6) Ethnic minorities had a sense of injustice and had lost confidence in the CJS

Question 4

What three ways does Neo-Marxism agree with traditional Marxism?

Answer 4

1) Capitalism is based on conflict and is the centre of explaining crime.
2) The state enforces laws that benefit only the ruling class.
3) If capitalism was replaced with a classless society crime would decrease massively.

Question 5

In what four ways can crime be considered voluntarist?

Answer 5

Rational choice
Criminals are not puppets to capitalism
Political crimes
Free will

Question 6

Who evaluates the neo-marxist view of crime?

Answer 6

Rock, Hirst and Feminists

Question 7

What did Rock say?

Answer 7

Romanticises criminals.
Crime is often by working class to working class.

Question 8

What did Hirst say?

Answer 8

Neo-marxism and traditional marxism should no longer be linked as there is now great disparity between their core beliefs.

Question 9

How do feminists criticise them?

Answer 9

Gender blind theory- Neo marxism applies the same explanations to both men and women, although it is clear that they generally have different motivations for committing crime.

Question 10

What are the general criticisms of neo-marxist views?

Answer 10

Not all crimes are politically motivated. For example, domestic violence, right realists argue crime is opportunistic, rather than a reaction to inequality.
It is overly idealistic and difficult to apply to real life.