Crime & Deviance: Marxist & Neo-Marxist theories of crime
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Last updated 10:26 AM on 12/23/22
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15 Terms
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Marx
Karl Marx is the founder of Marxism, and in capitalist society, he believes there is a conflict between the bourgeoisie (ruling class) and proletariat (working class) as the ruling class who own the means of production exploits the working class's labour for profit.
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Capitalism is criminogenic.
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Capitalism is criminogenic.
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Criminogenic Capitalism
Crime is inevitable in Capitalism.
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The working class commit utilitarian and non-utilitarian crimes because of poverty, constant advertising, alienation and a lack of control. Even the ruling class feel the pressure to commit crime and get ahead.
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The working class commit utilitarian and non-utilitarian crimes because of poverty, constant advertising, alienation and a lack of control. Even the ruling class feel the pressure to commit crime and get ahead.
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Criminogenic Capitalism (Marxist, Gordon)
“Crime is a rational response to capitalism.”
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The state and law making (Marxist, Chambliss)
Agues that laws and law enforcement only benefit the ruling class, specifically laws to protect private property are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy.
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Selective law enforcement (Marxist, Snider)
The working class and ethnic minorities are punished harshly while the crimes of the powerful go unnoticed and the capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws that regulate the activities of businesses or threaten their profitability in the first place.
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Ideological functions of law (Marxist, Pearce)
Laws don’t just punish but perform functions to keep ***capitalism stable***. It also helps to build false class consciousness in the working class.
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E.g. Health and safety laws keep the working class able to work and give capitalism a ‘caring face’.
Seeing crime as a working-class problem diverts it away from capitalism.
Seeing criminals as disturbed also disguises the true nature of the crime.
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E.g. Health and safety laws keep the working class able to work and give capitalism a ‘caring face’.
Seeing crime as a working-class problem diverts it away from capitalism.
Seeing criminals as disturbed also disguises the true nature of the crime.
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Marxist Evaluation
* Very deterministic, not all working class commit crime.
* Switzerland and Japan are capitalist but have low crime rates.
* Prosecutions against companies and the ruling class do happen.
* Left Realists say ignore intra-class crime - most working class crime is committed against working class people
* Switzerland and Japan are capitalist but have low crime rates.
* Prosecutions against companies and the ruling class do happen.
* Left Realists say ignore intra-class crime - most working class crime is committed against working class people
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Fully social theory of deviance (Neo-Marxist, Taylor)
Marco and micro levels of explanation. Unlike traditional Marxists, they see crime as a voluntary act, often with a political motive.
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1. Wider origins of the action itself
2. Immediate origins of the deviant act
3. The act itself
4. Immediate origins of social reaction
5. Wider origins of social reaction
6. Effects of labelling
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1. Wider origins of the action itself
2. Immediate origins of the deviant act
3. The act itself
4. Immediate origins of social reaction
5. Wider origins of social reaction
6. Effects of labelling
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Example of the fully social theory of deviance (Stuart Hall)
‘Policing the crisis’ - Mugging in 1970s (moral panic).
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1\. Street crime traditionally a survival strategy used by those at the bottom of the class system, particularly in economic crisis
2\. Afro-Caribbean migrants brought to Britain in 1960’s to do menial jobs not being filled. Recession in 1970’s hit black population (lower classes) especially + racism
3\. Black youth (2nd gen) less accepting of the inequality /racism. Small minority of Black youngsters turn to mugging as survival strategy which was politically motivated
4\. Media over report the muggings - Call for strong police response – press imply offenders are predominantly black – create a moral panic
5\. Capitalism in crisis – government having problems keeping control (strikes). Stability of society threatened. Focus on black mugger symbolises threat to social order Þ State powers increased. Need to stamp out mugging justifies increased state powers
6\. Acceptance by public of repressive policing – BUT many Black youths felt unjust and reacted to this with violence –SFP / deviancy amplified
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1\. Street crime traditionally a survival strategy used by those at the bottom of the class system, particularly in economic crisis
2\. Afro-Caribbean migrants brought to Britain in 1960’s to do menial jobs not being filled. Recession in 1970’s hit black population (lower classes) especially + racism
3\. Black youth (2nd gen) less accepting of the inequality /racism. Small minority of Black youngsters turn to mugging as survival strategy which was politically motivated
4\. Media over report the muggings - Call for strong police response – press imply offenders are predominantly black – create a moral panic
5\. Capitalism in crisis – government having problems keeping control (strikes). Stability of society threatened. Focus on black mugger symbolises threat to social order Þ State powers increased. Need to stamp out mugging justifies increased state powers
6\. Acceptance by public of repressive policing – BUT many Black youths felt unjust and reacted to this with violence –SFP / deviancy amplified
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What is Sutherlands definition of white collar crime?
“a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation”
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Explain the difference between occupational and corporate crime
Occupational crime: crime committed by an employee simply for person gain- often against the organisation (e.g stealing from the company or its customers).
Corporate crime: committed by employees for their organisation in pursuit of its goals (deliberately mis-selling products for profit)
Corporate crime: committed by employees for their organisation in pursuit of its goals (deliberately mis-selling products for profit)
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Briefly describe TWO types of corporate crime
Financial crimes: covers all types of crimes do with with money which includes tax evasion, money laundering, bribery and illegal accounting. Victims include companies, shareholders, tax payers and governments.
Crimes against employees: this includes discrimination against workers, violations of wage laws, of rights to join a union or take industrial action, and health and safety laws. Tombs – calculates that 1100 of work related deaths in a year including employees breaking the law (which is more than the annual total of homicides.
Crimes against employees: this includes discrimination against workers, violations of wage laws, of rights to join a union or take industrial action, and health and safety laws. Tombs – calculates that 1100 of work related deaths in a year including employees breaking the law (which is more than the annual total of homicides.
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Identify 3 reasons for the invisibility of corporate crime
* The media: give very limited coverage to corporate crimes (therefore reinforcing the stereotype crime is a working class phenomenon) and when they do cover it they use very sanitised language.
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* Lack of political will: only ‘tough on’ street crime
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* Underreporting: victims may be unaware they’ve been victimised and even when they do may feel it’s not a “real” crime or may feel powerless against a big company
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* Lack of political will: only ‘tough on’ street crime
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* Underreporting: victims may be unaware they’ve been victimised and even when they do may feel it’s not a “real” crime or may feel powerless against a big company
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What do labelling theorists mean by ‘de-labelling’ and how does this impact the validity of OCS?
Nelken describes ‘de-labelling’, or non-labelling, as how businesses and companies often have the power to avoid labelling with expensive experts to help them avoid activities they’re involved in (tax avoidance schemes, being labelled criminal and getting any charges reduced.
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Likewise, the reluctance or inability of law enforcement agencies to properly investigate and prosecute these cases leads to the number of offences officially recorded. Therefore ocs on corporate crime are invalid and do not show the reality of what’s happening.
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Likewise, the reluctance or inability of law enforcement agencies to properly investigate and prosecute these cases leads to the number of offences officially recorded. Therefore ocs on corporate crime are invalid and do not show the reality of what’s happening.
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How do Marxists explain corporate crime and its relative invisibility?
Corporate crime is a result of the normal functioning of capitalism as its goal is to maximise profits at any cost. However, as Box describes, capitalism has successfully created what he calls a “mystification”. It has created the ideology that corporate crime is less widespread or harmful than it is.