Topic 3- Class, power and crime

Miller

argues that those in lower class has developed an independent subculture with its own mainstream culture-> explains why LW have a higher crime rates 

Merton

argues that American’s society denies WC people the opportunity to achieve the ‘money success’ that American culture values so highly  

Cohen

sees the WC youths as culturally deprived, they haven’t been socialised into the mainstream MC culture, so they then lack the means to achieve good in education and find themselves at the bottom of official hierarchy

Gordon

argues crime is response to capitalist system and its found in all social classes 

Chambliss

agues laws to protect property are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy -> protects the MC e.g African/Britain and the ‘cash tax’

Snider

argues gov in capitalist countries don’t like making stricter laws that limit the growth of their business

Pearce

argues ther’es false consciousness among the workers

Taylor et al

look at external factors and the whole timeline of how/why someone commits a crime

Sutherland

The more we associate with people with criminal attitude the more we are likely to become deviant ourselves

Tombs

argues that types of offences is more about who has the power to define an act as a crime than about how harmful the act is

Box

argues that if a company is unable to profit maximise by legal means it might do it illegally

Clinard

argues law violations by large companies increased as their financial performance deteriorated

Matza

Techniques of neutralisation- individuals deviate more if they can produce justifications to explain their misbehaviour