Marxism

(M) Criminogenic Capitalism

The competitiveness and the conflicts of the interest in capitalist societies generate criminality.

(M) Selective law enforcement - Gordon

• Crime is a rational response to criminogenic capitalism. The RSA (criminal justice system/police) selects working class law breaking to investigate and prosecute however they are less likely to do this for corporate crime.

(M) Ideological function of selective law enforcement

It makes it seem like crime is solely a working class problem.

Chambliss

W/c have limited means to commit crimes, therefore gravitate to violence and exploitation of weaker individuals R/c have unlimited means to commit crimes in subtle forms i.e. corporate crime

(M) State and Law making

• Chambliss

• Pearce

• Snider

Chambliss

• laws protect private property

• laws serve the interest of capitalism

(M) Law protect private property - Chambliss

Law making is biased. Uses the example of private property law, protection of private property only apply to people who own property

Snider

• deregulation of business

• inadequate policing of corporate crime

deregulation of business - snider

corporate crime costs more than street crime in financial terms and human lives. estimates total of of corporate crime to be $100 billion a year.

inadequate policing of crime - Snider

Argues that law to protect the working class aren't always enforced (they are just part of the 'caring face of capitalism') whereas the laws that protect the ruling class are more rigorously enforced.

(M) Selective enforcement

• Pearce

• Snider

• Reiman and Leighton

(M) Caring face of capitalism (selective law enforcement) - Pearce

Uses the example of health and safety laws which keep the working class in healthy condition so that they can work for the bourgeoisie. These laws are rarely enforced for the proletariate.

(M) Selective enforcement - Reiman and Leighton

Show that the more likely a crime is going to be committed by a higher class person the less likely it is to be treated as a criminal offence.