sociology- social class and crime

Higher classes

M.C.

Lower classes

W.C.

White-collar and corporate crimes

Crimes committed by individuals in their professional life.

Street crimes

Crimes that occur in public places.

Functionalism - strain theory (Reiner)

There is no limit to monetary success.

Functionalism - strain theory (Merton)

W.C. individuals cannot attain cultural goals by legitimate means and may turn to crime.

Functionalist - differential association (Sutherland)

Differential association into corporate crime could be part of the culture of some businesses.

Functionalist - subcultural theories (Cohen)

W.C. boys may suffer from status frustration and turn to crime as part of an alternative status hierarchy.

Marxism - criminogenic capitalism (Gordon)

Criminogenic capitalist culture encourages the rich to further enrich themselves through illicit means.

Marxism - white collar crime (Croall)

The powerful have greater opportunities to commit crime and cover it up.

Neo-marxism - the new criminology (Taylor, Walton and Young)

The W.C. deliberately choose to commit crime as a political response to perceived exploitation.

Marxism - social construction of the law (Box)

The social construction of the law and selective policing encourages crimes that are less likely to be detected.

Left realists - relative deprivation (Lea and Young)

W.C. crime is caused by relative deprivation and marginalization.

Left realism - relative deprivation (Lea and Young)

Even the rich can experience relative deprivation.

Hegemonic masculinity (Messerschmidt)

W.C. crime is encouraged by socialization into hegemonic forms of masculinity.

Right realism - underclass and control theories (Murray)

A criminal underclass is responsible for most street crime.

Hirschi

W.C. criminals are more likely to lack important controls or bonds in their lives.

Interactionist - labelling theory (Becker)

The W.C. is unfairly targeted by the CJS and is less likely to negotiate their way out of justice.