Neo-marxist view on crime

Question 1

Critical criminology

Answer 1

Taylor et al (1973):
-Combination of labelling theory and aspects of marxism
-Agree with marxists that capitalism helps promote crime and protects the interests of the ruling class

Question 2

Anti-determinism

Answer 2

-Taylor et al argue marxism is deterministic
-Reject the view that crime is caused by ext factors
-Take a voluntaristic approach, that we all have free will to commit crime: it’s a meaningful action that was made consciously
-Criminals aren’t puppets controlled by capitalism BUT instead they are purposefully trying to change society

Question 3

A fully social theory of deviance

Answer 3

1) The wider origins of the deviant act
2) The immediate origins of the act- the context in which the individual commits the crime
3) The act itself and its meaning for the actor- the motive behind it
4) The immediate origins of societys reaction- reactions from the police, family + community
5) The wider origins of society’s reactions
6) The effects of labelling- do they develop a master status, did it lead to deviance amplification spiral

Question 4

Evaluation of critical criminology

Answer 4

-Feminists criticise it for being ‘gender blind’, focusing on male criminality
-Left-realists argue that it romanticises w/c criminals as ‘Robin Hoods’ who are fighting capitalism by re-distributing wealth among the poor, when in reality those criminals prey on the poor
–> ignores the effects on the w/c victims
-Burke (2005)- argues that it’s too general to explain crime and too idealistic to be useful in tackling crime