Traditional Marxism

Question 1

Criminogenic Capitalism

Answer 1

Crime is inevitable in capitalism, as its very nature produces crime

Question 2

Criminogenic Capitalism - working class crime

Answer 2

o Poverty may create crime by necessity
o Only way of obtaining consumer goods encouraged by advertising
o Alienation may cause frustration and aggression, leading to non-utilitarian crimes

Question 3

Criminogenic Capitalism - ruling class crime

Answer 3

 Ruling class crime
o Win at all costs
o Tax evasion, health code violation, etc.

Question 4

Criminogenic Capitalism evaluation

Answer 4

 Too deterministic – not all poor commit crime. Many capitalist societies have low crime rates
(e.g. Japan compared to America)

Question 5

Gordon

Answer 5

Crime is a rational response to capitalism and so is found in all classes

Question 6

Chambliss

Answer 6

Laws to protect private property are the basis of the capitalist economy. Laws are designed
to benefit the ruling class. Few laws challenge the distribution of wealth

Question 7

Snider

Answer 7

capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws that regulate the activities of businesses or threaten their profitability.

Question 8

Reiman - selective enforcement

Answer 8

Crimes of the powerful are less likely to be treated as criminal offences

Question 9

Carson - selective enforcement

Answer 9

In a sample of 200 firms, all had broken health and safety laws but 1.5% were
prosecuted

Question 10

Pearce - ideological functions

Answer 10

Laws give capitalism a ‘caring’ face, and create a false consciousness among workers. This is because the state enforces the law selectively, crime appears to be largely a working-class phenomenon. This divides working class due to how it encourages workers to blame criminals in their midst for their problems, rather than capitalism.