class, power and crime

Question 1

What do Marxists believe about capitalism?

Answer 1

Capitalism is criminogenic; it causes crime.

Question 2

How does poverty relate to crime in a capitalist society?

Answer 2

Poverty may mean that crime is the only way the working class can survive.

Question 3

What type of crimes can arise from the need for consumer goods in capitalism?

Answer 3

Utilitarian crimes such as theft.

Question 4

What may lead to frustration and aggression, resulting in non-utilitarian crimes?

Answer 4

Alienation and lack of control.

Question 5

What does Chambliss state about laws in a capitalist economy?

Answer 5

Laws to protect private property are a cornerstone.

Question 6

What is Snider’s argument regarding the capitalist state?

Answer 6

The capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws that regulate businesses or threaten profitability.

Question 7

What do Marxists believe about the enforcement of laws?

Answer 7

There is selective enforcement; powerless groups are criminalized while crimes of the powerful are ignored.

Question 8

What does Pearce theorize about the function of laws in capitalism?

Answer 8

Laws give capitalism a ‘caring’ face and create a false consciousness among workers.

Question 9

How does selective enforcement affect the perception of crime?

Answer 9

It makes crime appear largely as a working-class phenomenon.

Question 10

Fill in the blank: Marxists believe that the state enforces the law ______.

Answer 10

selectively.

Question 11

True or False: All classes commit crime equally according to Marxists.

Answer 11

True.

Question 12

What is a consequence of the selective enforcement of laws for the working class?

Answer 12

It divides the working class by encouraging them to blame criminals for their problems.

Question 13

What do Taylor et al criticize Marxists for?

Answer 13

Economic determinism

They argue that crime is a meaningful action and a conscious choice.

Question 14

According to Taylor et al, what motives can drive crime?

Answer 14

Political motives

For instance, to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor.

Question 15

What is the view of criminals according to Taylor et al?

Answer 15

They are deliberately striving to change society

Criminals are not passive puppets shaped by capitalism.

Question 16

What is ‘a fully social theory of deviance’?

Answer 16

A framework produced by Taylor et al to understand crime in society.

Question 17

What does the fully social theory of deviance take into account?

Answer 17

It takes into account:
* The wider origins of the deviant act
* Immediate origins of the deviant act
* The act itself
* Immediate origins of social reaction
* The wider origins of societal reaction
* The effects of labelling

Question 18

What are the wider origins of the deviant act according to Taylor et al?

Answer 18

The unequal distribution of wealth and power in capitalist society.

Question 19

What are the immediate origins of the deviant act?

Answer 19

The context in which the individual decides to commit the act.

Question 20

What does the act itself refer to in the context of Taylor et al’s theory?

Answer 20

Its meaning for the actor.

Question 21

What are the immediate origins of social reaction?

Answer 21

The reactions of those around the deviant act.

Question 22

What are the wider origins of societal reaction?

Answer 22

Who has the power to define actions as deviant and to label others, and why some acts are treated more harshly than others.

Question 23

What does the effects of labelling refer to?

Answer 23

What effects the deviant act has on future actions.

Question 24

What do Reiman and Leighton argue about the treatment of crimes committed by high-class people?

Answer 24

The more likely a crime is to be committed by high-class people, the less likely it is to be treated as an offence.

Question 25

What is the prosecution rate comparison between street crimes and crimes committed by higher classes?

Answer 25

There is a much higher rate of prosecutions for typical street crimes committed by poor people.

Question 26

What type of crimes are more likely to receive a forgiving view from the justice system?

Answer 26

Crimes committed by the higher classes, such as tax evasion.

Question 27

What are the three types of costs associated with corporate crime as noted by Tombs?

Answer 27

* Physical (deaths, injuries, illnesses) * Environmental (pollution) * Economic (to consumers, workers, taxpayers, and governments)

Question 28

Fill in the blank: The more likely a crime is to be committed by high-class people, the less likely it is to be treated as an _______.

Answer 28

[offence]

Question 29

True or False: Crimes committed by higher classes are treated more harshly than those committed by lower classes.

Answer 29

False

Question 30

What is the media's role in the perception of corporate crime?

Answer 30

The media gives very limited coverage to corporate crime, reinforcing the stereotype that crime is a working-class phenomenon. ## Footnote This contributes to public misunderstanding of the prevalence and seriousness of corporate crime.

Question 31

What is the political stance on corporate crime compared to street crime?

Answer 31

Politicians' rhetoric of being ‘tough on crime’ only applies to street crime, indicating a lack of political will to tackle corporate crime. ## Footnote This disparity highlights potential biases in political priorities.

Question 32

What challenges do law enforcers face in addressing corporate crime?

Answer 32

Law enforcers are often understaffed, under-resourced, and lack technical expertise. ## Footnote These limitations hinder effective investigation and prosecution of corporate crime.

Question 33

What is delabelling in the context of corporate crime?

Answer 33

Delabelling refers to the process where corporate crime is consistently filtered out from the process of criminalisation at the level of laws and legal regulations. ## Footnote This results in corporate crimes being less visible and less likely to be prosecuted.

Question 34

Why is corporate crime often under-reported?

Answer 34

Individuals may be unaware they have been victimised by corporate crime. ## Footnote This lack of awareness contributes to the invisibility of corporate crime in public discourse.