Marxist Theories of Crime and Deviance
0.0 / 5
- Created by: PhoebeSophia
- Created on: 20-04-16 09:24
Crime Patterns - Official Criminal Statistics
- OCS show a concentration of criminal activity within the WC and an absence of criminal behaviour among the MC and UC.
- OCS show the most crime is committed by the WC.
- WC tend to be committed for street crimes such as burglary.
- MC tend to be committed for corporate crimes such as fraud.
- Distribution of deviant activity isn't class concentrated but targeting for policing is.
1 of 13
TM - Criminogenic Capitalism.
- Crime is inevitable as capitalism is criminogenic by the nature of it crime is created.
- Capitalism is based on exploiting workers for a profit.
Utilitarian Crimes
- Gordon 1976 - Capitalist values such as wealth can cause utilitarian crimes such as theft.
- Low wages mean workers experience poverty.
- Utilitarian crimes may be the only way of obtaining consumer goods.
Non-Utilitarian
- **** can be influenced by capitalism.
- Marxist Feminists - lack of power in the work place causes ****.
- To reclaim power they excert sexual power over women out of the work place.
Evaluation
- Gordon - useful for offering a critique of strain theory. Wealth and materialism not mainstream values.
- Marxist Feminists - useful for recognising capitalism can cause ****.
- However capitalism can't cause all crime and ignores that criminal behaviour can stem from ethnic inequalities such as racism. - Hate crimes.
- Use Law creation as criticism and link to next point.
2 of 13
TM - Law creation
- Why the WC appear on OCS.
- Law creation has a ruling class bias. - RC has the power though law creation to define WC behaviour as criminal.
- Laws were implemented to protect wealth, property and possessions.
William Chambliss 1975
- Laws to protect the WC are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy.
- e.g Introduction of English law in East African colonies.
- At the time the economy was not a money economy. English introducted Tax so the popultion had to work for them to pay the tax. Therefore served the needs of capitalist plantation owners.
Evaluation
- Chambliss - useful as he recognises how the law can be manipulated to serve the RC.
- However - some laws are to protect the WC such as health and safety laws.
- Use ideological functions to criticise and link to next point.
3 of 13
TM - Ideological functions of the law
- Some laws are passed which seem to benefit the WC such as health and safety laws.
Frank Pearce 1976
- These laws benefit the RC.
- They keep workers fit for work.
- Give capitalism a caring face an creates a false consciousness.
- Trick worker into thinking the system care about their welfare.
4 of 13
TM - Law enforcement and White coller crime
- All classes committ crime but there is selective enforcement.
Reiman 2001
- The rich ger ticher and the poor get poorer
- The more likely a crime is committed by the RC the more likely it won't be treated as a criminal offence.
- Disproportionately high prosecution rate for street crimes
- Tax evasion and health and safety violations are forgiven by the justice system.
Carson 1971
- Sample of 200 firms.
- All had broken health and safety laws.
- 1.5% prosecuted.
5 of 13
TM - Types of white coller crime
1. Occupational crimes
- Committed by individuals to benefit themselves.
- Joyte De Laurey 2005 - Case Study.
- Embezzled millions from Goldman Sachs. De Laurey bought 11 UK properties, £300,000 worth of cartier jewellry.
- 7 year prison sentence.
2. Corporate crimes
- Committed by groups of employees working to benefit the organisation.
- Box - Harm caused to consumers - Mechanical defects in the Ford Pino led to 900 deaths. Ford was aware of the defect.
6 of 13
TM - Harm caused and Evaluation
Harm Caused
- TM interested in harm caused against consumers.
- Hughes and Langan 2001 - 1965 - Mid 90's, 25,000 people were killed at work. 70% of which were due to breech of health and safety legislation.
Evaluation
- Box,Hughes and Langan - useful - corporate crime has widespread effects
- Reiman and Carson - useful - White coller crimes go under investigated
- However - Criminal justice system goes against capitalist classes. Prosecutions of corporate crime do occur.
- Left Realists - Marxism ignores intra-class crimes
7 of 13
Evaluation of TM
Strengths
- Understand crime can be committed by the WC and MC.
- What motivates a criminal. - Deterministic.
Weaknesses
- Neo-Marxist & Humanists - deterministic view - excludes free will and choice - not all WC members commit crimes due to poverty and alienaton.
- Neo-Marxist - Crime stems from class inequalities - ignores ethnic inequalities
- Use functionalist
8 of 13
NM - Critical Criminology
Taylor, Walton and Young
- Criminal behaviour is volunteristic - free will
- People commit crimes to change society
- Individuals are not controlled by society.
- Crime is a symbol against capitalism
Evaluation
- Recognise free will.
- Use TM to criticise.
9 of 13
NM - Black Criminality as a Form of Political Resi
Gilroy
- Ethnic minority crime is a form of political resistance against a racist society
- Most Blacks and Asians origionate from former colonies - learnt to resist oppression such as slavery through riots and demonstrations.
- Political struggle was criminalised by the state
Race riots
- Rodney King
- 2011 - Mark Duggen
Evaluation
- Useful - Riots are an attempt at ridding society of institutional racism
- However - Left Realist Lea and Young - Real victims of black criminality is the afro-caribbeans themselves - ignores intra-ethnic crimes.
10 of 13
Marxist subcultural theory
NM - Stuart Hall
- Subcultures form as a way of resistance to the inequalities within the capitalist system.
- Difficulty finding work - join subcultures with other disadvataged youths.
- Dress code and music set them apart from the rest of society.
- Music and style are a symbolismn of resistance
Example
- God save the queen - Sex Pistols
- White Riot - The Clash
Evaluation
- Useful - style and music as political resistance
- However - Feminists - ignoring that girls join subcultures e.g The Slits a female punk band
11 of 13
LR - Black Criminality
Lea and Young
- Critical of Hall and Gilroy
- Accept OCS
- Relitive deprivation and marginalisation cause black criminality
- Marginalisation - Feeling powerless due to police racism - oppressive stop and search so turn to non utilitarian crimes
- Relative Deprivation - Economically deprived compared to people who surround them - commit utilitarian crimes in response to poverty and unemployment
Evaluation
- Useful - police racism
- Acknowledge discriminatory policing in relation to OCS
- However - 90% of crimes are reported by the public so it is unlikely police actions were due to them being racist
12 of 13
Summary
- TM - Capitalism as criminogenic
- TM - RC controls the state which makes the law
- TM - Law performs ideological functions for capitalism
- Critical Criminology - less deterministic
- Gilroy - Black criminality as a form of political resistance
- Left Realists - Critical of NM view on black criminality
13 of 13
Related discussions on The Student Room
- AQA A Level Sociology Paper 3 7192/3 - 13 Jun 2022 [Exam Chat] »
- OCR A-level Sociology Paper 3 (H580/03) - 14th June 2023 [Exam Chat] »
- Sociology Help Thread »
- A Level AQA Psychology, Sociology, Politics tips ? »
- Access to HE Diploma, Stonebridge, (Social Science & health) Assignment 5 HELP »
- Help with topics »
- AQA A Level Sociology Paper 3 (7192/3) - 14th June [Exam Chat] »
- A-level Sociology Study Group 2022-2023 »
- Alevel sociology wjec/ eduqas crime and deviance »
- sociology alevel »
Similar Sociology resources:
0.0 / 5
0.0 / 5
2.0 / 5 based on 1 rating
2.5 / 5 based on 2 ratings
0.0 / 5
3.5 / 5 based on 2 ratings
0.0 / 5
5.0 / 5 based on 2 ratings
Comments
No comments have yet been made