Stephen Box - The Law is Ideological

What does Box mean when he talks about the Law being Ideological

The law is Ideological - reflects and reinforces the dominant ideas of the ruling class, rather than serving society as a whole

• law gives an illusion of fairness, but in reality, it mainly protects capitalist interests

What example does Box use to suggest that the Law mainly protects capitalist interests?

Avoidable deaths in the workplace due to the employer failing to ensure safe working conditions are often called ‘accidents’

• avoids allowing the actions of capitalists from being labelled criminal

What does Box suggest about the Law being Ideological produces?

Mystification

• makes WC people seem more ‘criminal’ than the capitalist class and spreads the belief that white collar crime is less harmful to society

What does sociologists/concepts use to support Box’s suggestion that the Law is Ideological?

• Pearce

• Transgressive Criminology

• Reiman

What does Pearce suggest about the Law being Ideological?

Argues that the law appears to be in the interest of working class people really exist to benefit capitalists by keeping workers fit for work

• produces false class consciousness - making workers think that capitalists care about their welfare

What does Transgressive Criminology suggest about the Law being Ideological?

Laws as something that are created by the ruling class to serve the needs of Capitalism and themselves

What does Reiman suggest about the Law being Ideological?

Crime is more likely to committed by higher-class people, the less likely it is treated as a criminal offence

• more likely to be prosecuted

• justice system takes a more forgiving view of crimes committed by the higher classes

White-collar crimes are controlled much less than petty crime and anti-social behavior

Is Box a Traditional Marxist or a Neo-Marxist?

Traditional Marxist