Power, class and crime

Why do Marxists believe that that official crime statistics are distorted

Because they think the law is enforced disproportionally against the working class

What are the two classes Marxist believe society is split into

1. The bourgeois (ruling capitalist class)
2. The proletariat (working class

)Why do Marxists believe crime in inevitable

Because they believe capitalism is criminogenic - the conditions of capitalism leads to crime

Why is capitalism criminogenic? (4 points)

• poverty means committing crimes is the only way to survive
• crime is the only way to achieve goods encouraged by capitalist advertising (theft)
• alienation and lack of control leads to frustration
• cut throat businesses leads to white collar crimes

Criticisms of Marxists

• not all capitalist societies have high crime rate
• it ignores the relationship between crime and non-class inequalities such as ethnicity and gender

What do Neo-Marxists believe criticise Marxists on

They believe that crime isn't a drive to achieve economic necessity, but a meaningful action out of free will

What do neo-Marxists believe about deviance (critical criminology)

• Society is unequal
• laws protect the powerful
• deviance can be a a form of resistance
• not everyone who breaks the law is the same
• power controls labelling

What are the 6 aspects neo-Marxists believe we need to understand a deviant act

1. The social context (what's happening in society)
2. Context of the act
3. The meaning of the act to the individual
4. The reaction of others (media, family etc.)
5. The reactions effect on the individual
6. The effects of labelling

Criticism of critical criminology

• feminists argue it focuses on male crimes
• romanticises working-class crimes (like Robin Hood) but they mostly prey on the poor

What do Marxists believe about the equality of the criminal justice system

Low classes typical crimes are more likely to prosecuted e.g. burglary and typical high class crimes like tax evasion are forgiven much easier. The criminal justice system is biased and unequal

What's the difference between occupational and corporate crime

Occupational crime is committed by employee for personal gain. Corporate crime is committed by employee for their organisation in pursuit of its goals

What are some types of corporate crime

• financial crimes (e.g. bribery)

• Crimes against consumers (e.g. selling unfit goods)

• Crimes against employees (e.g. racial discrimination)

• Crimes against the enviroment (e.g. toxic waste dumping)

Why are corporate crimes ‘invisible’

• the media gives it little coverage

• Lack of political will to tackle it

• Under-reporting

What are the explanations for corporate crime

1. Strain theory - goals only attainable with illegitimate means

2. Differential association - employees socialised into a companies criminality

3. Labelling theory - middle classes can negotiate to avoid labels

4. Marxism - capitalism maximises profit , inevitably causing harm to employees and consumers

Criticism of Marxism being an explanation of corporate crimes

Doesn’t explain non-profit crimes e.g. crimes against health and safety