Neo-Marxist Theories of Crime and Deviance

Fully Social Theory

• Aims for a comprehensive understanding of crime and deviance to better society.

Elements of a Fully Social Theory of Crime

1. Wider Origins of the Deviant Act: Examines societal factors contributing to the initial impulse toward deviance.

2. Immediate Origins of the Deviant Act: Focuses on the direct triggers or circumstances leading to the act.

3. The Act Itself: Analyses the specific deviant behaviour.

4. Immediate Origins of the Social Reaction: Investigates the direct responses to the act.

5. Wider Origins of Social Reaction: Looks at the broader societal context shaping reactions to deviance.

6. The Effect of Labelling: Studies the consequences of being labelled as deviant.

Application to Hall (1978) - Policing the Crisis

1. 1970s Social Crisis: Describes the decade as a period of instability and social unrest.

2. Social Issues: Mentions inner-city riots, conflict in Northern Ireland, and strikes as examples of social issues during the 1970s.

3. Mugging and Racial Bias: Highlights police claims that mugging was more likely to be committed by African-Caribbean men.

4. Media and Racism: Notes on media outrage over muggings and racism within the Metropolitan Police.

5. Scapegoating: Emphasises the need to find a scapegoat and the ease with which African-Caribbean men could be blamed.

6. Injustice and Mistrust: Addresses the sense of injustice among ethnic minorities and their loss of confidence in the criminal justice system.

Neo-Marxism Agreement with Traditional Marxism

1. Capitalism and Exploitation: Both agree that capitalism is based on exploitation and class conflict, which is key to understanding crime.

2. State and Ruling Class: Both agree that the state creates and enforces laws to benefit the ruling class.

3. Classless Society: Both advocate for replacing capitalism with a classless society where crime would be greatly reduced.

Voluntaristic Aspects of Crime

1. Conscious Choice: Criminals make a conscious choice to commit a crime (meaningful action).

2. Political Motives: Crime is driven by political motives to address inequalities in wealth.

3. Active Agents: Criminals are not passive puppets of capitalism.

4. Free Will: Highlights the role of free will in criminal behaviour.

Evaluation of Neo-Marxism

1. Rock (1988): Romantic View of Criminals: Argues that Neo-Marxism overly romanticises criminals as Robin Hoods fighting an unjust system. Left Realism points out that a majority of crime is against the working class, by the working class

2. Hirst (1975): Deviation from Traditional Marxism: Considers Neo-Marxism as having strayed too far from traditional Marxism to be considered linked.

3. Feminist Criticism: Gender Blindness: Points out that the theory is gender-blind and applies the same explanations to both men and women, despite differing motivations.

4. Motivations for Crime: Not all crime is politically motivated; examples include domestic violence and rape, which aren't reactions to capitalist inequalities. Right realists argue that crime is opportunistic rather than a reaction to perceived injustice

5. Practical Application: The theory is overly idealistic and difficult to apply to real life; Hall's work is the closest, but still contains conjecture.