Social Class Flashcards
How is social class measured in statistics?
crime surveys, official documents
e.g. employment status and occupation is recorded
- researchers use NS-SEC to classify SC
- important to operationalise
What sort of crimes to the public have in their conscious? How does this impact which social groups are associated with crime?
Street crimes and antisocial behaviours
- predominantly offences related to left and violence
- being criminal is a WC phenomenon
- stigmatised and stereotyped
What could be the issue with using formulas such as the NS-SEC to classify a persons SC status?
It allows room for bias and prejudice which may determine how is treated within the CJS
Why are WC crimes argued to be highly visible?
Lots of media coverage which informs political and public opinion
- these locations and areas are heavily policed and therefore more likely to get caught compared to other social classes
What do Functionalists say about WC crime?
WC are lacking in social bonds and underachieving in education which leads to crime
What do Right Realists say about WC crime?
Demonise the WC, underclass has formed where children are not raised adequately
What do Left realists say about WC crime?
WC crime is due to relative deprivation, marginalisation and subcultures
What does subcultural theory say about WC crime?
WC culture has criminal careers and illegitimate opportunity structures
What do Marxists say about WC crime?
Brake- crime committed as a political act against exploitation
How does Thornton criticise such ideas?
Disputes the prevalence of WC criminal groups, instead highlight the way they have been constructed
- white WC subjected to discrimination based on the assumption that they are criminal
What is Reiman’s theory of selective law enforcement?
The rich and powerful benefit whilst the poor suffer
- definitions subject WC to be criminalised
- definitions built around supporting/dominant ideology
- privileged criminals are able to escape
- media enforces the stereotype of poor criminals
- inequality is the real source of crime
What are crimes of the powerful?
White collar/corporate crime
- fraud, tax evasion, insider trading
- due to different exposures to opportunity and motivations
What is the occupy movement?
- protest due to the dissatisfaction with governmental, corporate systems and power dynamics
- guilty of crimes and go unprosecuted
- protest against this inequality
What do the media, public and politics do to influence people on WC crime?
Create and perpetuate this label
