Class, Power and Crime

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Why is Capitalism criminogenic?
Its very nature causes crime
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Why is there w/c crime according to Marxism?
Poverty may mean crime is the only way some can survive. Crime may be the only way to obtaining consumer goods advertised by Capitalists. Alienation may cause frustration and aggression.
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What does Gordon argue?
Crime is a rational response to Capitalism and thus found in all classes
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What does Chambliss argue?
Laws to protect private property are the basis of Capitalist society
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What is the problem with law making?
Laws serve the interests of Capitalism and few laws challenge the unequal distribution of wealth
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What did Carson find?
In a sample of 200 firms, all had broken health and safety laws but only 1.5% were actually prosecuted
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What is the problem of selective enforcement?
It divides the w/c and encourages workers to blame w/c criminals for their problems rather than Capitalism
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What does Pearce argue?
Laws benefit Capitalism by giving it a caring face that creates false class consciousness
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Outline two criticisms of the Marxist approach to crime
It is too deterministic and it over predicts the amount of w/c crime
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What three things do Neo-Marxists Taylor, Young and Walton agree on?
Capitalism is based on exploitation and inequality. The state works in the interests of Capitalism. Capitalism should be replaced by a classless society.
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What are the two main sources of Taylor, Young and Walton's Comprehensive Theory?
Marxist ideas about the unequal distribution of wealth and who has power to enforce the law. Labelling ideas about the meaning of the deviant act for the actor and the effects of the label
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How do Feminists criticise Neo-Marxists?
The Neo-Marxist approach is gender blind and ignores the female victims of crime
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What does Sutherland argue?
White collar crime is crime committed by a person of respectability. Occupational crime is committed by employees for personal gain. Corporate crime is committed for the company's benefit
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What four things does corporate crime include?
Financial crimes, crimes against consumers, crimes against employees and crimes against the environment
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According to Sutherland, why is white collar crime a greater threat to society?
Professionals occupy positions of trust that they can violate and this makes it a greater threat because it undermines the fabric of society
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Why is there an invisibility of corporate crime?
The media gives it little coverage and describes it as technical infringements, there is a lack of political will to tackle it, de-labelling, victims may be unaware of their victimisation and law enforces are under resorced
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What is the strain theory explanation of crime?
If a company cannot achieve its goals of maximising profit, it may employ illegitimate means
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What did Clinard and Yeager find?
Companies' law violations increased as their profitability declined
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What is the differential association explanation of crime(Sutherland)?
If a company's deviant subculture justifies committing crime, employees will be socialised into criminality. They may learn techniques of neutralisaion to justify their crimes
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What does Labelling theory suggest about crime?
An act is only criminal if it is labelled as such. The inability of enforcment agencies to investigate effectively reduces the number of offences officially labelled
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What is the Marxist explanation of crime?
Capitalism creates the ideology that CC is less widespread than w/c crime. It also controls the state so it can avoid making laws that conflict with its interests. Therefore, crime results from Capitalism
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Why is there w/c crime according to Marxism?

Back

Poverty may mean crime is the only way some can survive. Crime may be the only way to obtaining consumer goods advertised by Capitalists. Alienation may cause frustration and aggression.

Card 3

Front

What does Gordon argue?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What does Chambliss argue?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What is the problem with law making?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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