traditional / neo marxism on crime

Question 1

CHAMBLISS - the state and law making

Answer 1

• laws reflect the bourgeoise and their businesses
• looks at how Britian introduced laws into east African colonies
• tax system was introduced so the locals had to work on plantations to pay their taxes

Question 2

CARLSON - selective law enforcement

Answer 2

• all social classes commit crime
• crimes of the powerful are less likely to end in prosecution
• CARLSON: in a sample of 200 firms, all had breached health and safety regulations but only 1-5% were prosecuted

Question 3

TAYLOR ET AL - six causes of crime

Answer 3

• wider origins (e.g. unequal distribution of wealth)
• immediate origins (context of crime)
• the act itself (what was it for)
• immediate social reactions (family, police etc)
• wider social reactions (why some people get harsher punishments)
• effects of labelling (how it leads to deviance amplification)