Class, power and crime

Question 1

What are the 4 explanations of Explaining class differences in crime?

Answer 1

Functionalism
Strain theory
Subcultural theories
Labeling theory

Question 2

What is functionalist explanation of class differences in crime?

Answer 2

see crime as a product of inadequate socialization into a shared culture.Miller argues that the lower class has an independent subculture opposed to mainstream culture and this explains their higher crime rate.

Question 3

What is Strain theorists explanation of class differences in crime?

Answer 3

People commit crime because they lack legitmate means to achieve socially approved goals.

Question 4

What is Subcultural theories explanation of class differences in crime?

Answer 4

A.K Cohen sees working class youths as culturally deprived and unable to achieve in education. Failure gives them status frustration. As a solution they form delinquent subcultures in which they gain status from peers. Cloward and Ohlin identify three deviant subcultures.

Question 5

What is Labelling theories explanation of class differences in crime?

Answer 5

They reject the view that official statistics are a valid picture of which class commits crime. They focus on the role of law enforcement agencies, which have the power to label the working class as criminals.

Question 6

How do traditional marxists agree with Labelling theory?

Answer 6

that the law is enforced disproportionately against the W/C and therefore the official crime statistics cannot be taken at face value.

Question 7

How do Traditional marxists disagree with Labelling theory?

Answer 7

for failing to examine wider structure of capitalism within which law making, law enforcement and offending takes place.

Question 8

Marxists see capitalist society divided into what?

Answer 8

They see the capitalist society divided by capitalist class ( those who have means of production ) and the working class ( whose labour is exploited for profit.)

Question 9

Why is Marxism a structural theory?

Answer 9

because society is a structure whose economic base determines the superstructure i.e all other institutions the state, CJS.

Question 10

For Marxists is crime inevitable in capitalism?

Answer 10

Yes because crime is criminogenic ( its very nature causes crime.

Question 11

How does Capitalism create poverty?

Answer 11

It creates poverty becuase crime is the only way the W/C can survive. Capitalism means that the rich can exploit the W/C for profit and give them low wages to settle with.

Question 12

How does Capitalism create desire to steal consumer goods?

Answer 12

This is because of capitalist advertising, resulting in utilitarian crime ( theft)

Question 13

How may Alienation and lack of control over lives lead to crime?

Answer 13

It may lead to frustration and aggression, resulting in non-utilitarian crimes such as violence and vandalism.

Question 14

Is crime only confined to Working class?

Answer 14

NO

Question 15

Why isn’t crime only confined to Working class?

Answer 15

Capitalism is a win-at-all costs system of competition, the profit motive encourages greed, encouraging corporate crime, such as tax evasion and breaking health and safety laws.

Question 16

Who is the sociologists who says crime is a rational response to Capitalism?

Answer 16

Gordon (1976) he argues crime is a rational response to capitalism and thus is found in all classes.

Question 17

How do Functionalists see law making as?

Answer 17

they see laws as reflecting value consensus and representing interests of society as a whole.

Question 18

However who do Marxists see the State and law making?

Answer 18

Marxists see law making and law enforcement as only serving interests of capitalist class.

Question 19

Who is the sociologists that argues that the laws protect private property?

Answer 19

Chambliss (1975)

Question 20

What does Chambliss say ?

Answer 20

Laws to protect private property are the corner stone of the capitalist economy.

Question 21

What are two examples of law making to benefit Working class ( A02)?

Answer 21

Vagrancy laws

Capital gains

Question 22

What where Vagrancy laws?

Answer 22

( 1349) there was the plague and many workers died, workers demanded higher wages, this didn’t last as vagrancy laws were introduced meaning you cannot demand higher wages. This good for capitalist class because they can generate profit.

Question 23

What was Capital gains?

Answer 23

Those who own bonds or stocks pay less tax than everyday individuals. Those with high investment in stocks and bonds were more powerful in society. Whereas WC pay moreo tax on little income.

Question 24

What is Selective enforcement?

Answer 24

Powerless groups e,g WC and EMs are criminalized, police and courts tend to ignore crimes of powerful

Question 25

What does these Health and Safety stats show and is an example of Selective enforcement e.g. 609,000 injuries occured at work according to labour force survey and 137 workers killed at work in 2016?

Answer 25

These may not be acted on as corporate crime meaning that it isn't a big problem to Criminal justice system.

Question 26

Who is the sociologist that studied a sample of 200 firms?

Answer 26

Carson ( 1971), in a sample of 200 firms, found all had broken health and safety laws, yet only 1.5 cases were prosecuted, by contrast, there is much higher rate of prosecutions for the crimes of the poor.

Question 27

What is Ideological functions of crime all about?

Answer 27

Laws are passed that often benefit the w/c over capitalism, this creates false consciousness. such as Health and safety

Question 28

How does Health and safety play an ideological function? including sociologist

Answer 28

Keeps workers fit to work given a caring face, creating false consciousness. This benefits capitalist class too.

Question 29

How do welfare laws play an ideological function?

Answer 29

They are lower than wages to force people back to work serving ruling class.

Question 30

What social agency plays an ideological function of crime?

Answer 30

Media portrays criminals as disturbed individuals, thereby concealing the fact that it is the nature of capitalism that makes people criminal e.g. Policing the crisis Hall.

Question 31

What was Policing the crisis (1971 hall)

Answer 31

Moral panic developed over the crime of mugging in the 1970s. The moral panic over black criminality at the time created a divison in society away from wider economic crisis - black youths out of control' being headlines rather than 'capitalism in crisis.'

Question 32

What was the overview of the story?

Answer 32

1) There was a major economic recession in the mid 1970, which increased unemployment 2) Capitalsim faced a legitmate crisis so the govt needed a scapegoat. 3) Fortunately the government the recession lead to further social marginalisation of black youth and lead to increase in street robbery 4) The media picked up on this creating a moral panic and the govt responsed by putting more police

Question 33

What is the role of power in Hall's study?

Answer 33

Power is used to oppress the vulnerable + weak in society, distracting society from the real problem.

Question 34

What is an A03 evaluation of Hall's study?

Answer 34

The association between criminality and black youth has continued since the economic crisis of the 1970s, so it is not clear that this is the ultimate cause of moral panic.

Question 35

What was the Rana Plaza incident?

Answer 35

Factory roofs collapsed killing more than 1,100 people in 2013. The building was illegally built as businesses wanted extra floors for production.

Question 36

What does the Rana Plaza incident in 2013 show?

Answer 36

definition of corporate crime needs to be widened, if not acted on it will lead to serious fatalies such as Rana plaza. Employers see workers as labour, due to capitalism instilling a win at all costs.

Question 37

What is another example i could talk about when talking about Ideological tools and selective enforcement?

Answer 37

GrenFell, causing 72 deaths, the fire started from a malfunctioning fridge freezer on 4th floor. It burned for 60 hours before finally being extinguished.

Question 38

Are all ruiling class crime unoticed?

Answer 38

No for example 217 HBOS banks were jailed over a 245 million loan scam. Showing that the criminal justice system does focus on ruiling class crime , there saying laws benefit ruiling class is deterministic.

Question 39

What is 2 AO2's against Marxists explanation of crime?

Answer 39

1) It largely ignores the relationship between crime and non-class inequalities such as ethnicity and gender. 2) Left realists say Marxists ignore intra-class crimes ( where both the criminals and victims are W/C e,g, burglary and mugging which cause a lot of harm to victims.

Question 40

Who are three Neo Marxists sociologists who talks about critical criminology?

Answer 40

Taylor, Walton and Young (1973)

Question 41

What do Taylor, Walton and Young ( Neo marxists agree with traditional Marxism on?

Answer 41

1) Capitalism is based on exploitation and inequality. This is key to understanding crime. 2) The state makes and enforces laws in the interests of capitalism and criminalizes the W/C. 3) Capitalism should be replaced by a classless society , which would greatly reduce crime.

Question 42

What do Taylor, Walton and Young ( Neo marxists) disagree with traditional marxism on?

Answer 42

For its determinism. e.g. it sees workers as driven to commit crime out of economic necessity. They reject this view along side theories that claim crime is caused by external factors e.g. anomie and block opportunities.

Question 43

Instead what view do Taylor et al take?

Answer 43

A voluntaristic view ( the idea we have free will) : crime is a conscious choice often with a political motive e.g. to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor . Criminals are deliberately struggling to change society.

Question 44

So to conclude Neo marxists combines what?

Answer 44

Combine traditional marxism with the labelling theory, ( Micro and Macro apporach) We need to understand the act it self and meaning of it, and why we react in the way they do.

Question 45

Why is Neo- marxism a good useful theory?

Answer 45

It is applicable today, Marxists just state things e.g. knife crime - its a distraction It doesn't explain motives.

Question 46

What do Taylor et al aim to create in society?

Answer 46

TBA

Question 47

In Taylor et al view a complete theory needs to unite 6 aspects?

Answer 47

TBA

Question 48

What are 2 evaluations of critical criminology?

Answer 48

TBA

Question 49

Although all classes commit crime the law?

Answer 49

the law is selectively enforced and higher class and corporate offenders are less likely to be prosecuted.

Question 50

What is White collar crime including sociologists?

Answer 50

Sutherland ( 1949) defines white collar crime as crime commited by a person of respectability and high status. This can include corporate crime.

Question 51

What is Corporate crime?

Answer 51

Commited for the company's benefit.

Question 52

What is the problem of corporate crime ?

Answer 52

It is difficult to define.

Question 53

What example is there to show Corporate crime is difficult to define ?

Answer 53

Starbucks in 2013, decided to pay corporation tax for the first time in 2009. This could be seen as a crime as they are contributing to the unequal distrubtion of wealth and income. Although starbucks avoided paying large sums of tax through tax avoidance.

Question 54

Why does the starbucks example show the problem of corporate crime?

Answer 54

There is a problem of defining whether or not this is a crime, shows that laws are selectively enforced to benefit w/c, there was loop holes which allow firms to deter away from tax evasion ( illegal) to benefit w/c.

Question 55

Who is the sociologist who backs up that the definition of corporate crime needs to widened and what does he say?

Answer 55

Tombs (2013) argues that the definition of corporate crime needs to be widened because powerful corporations can influence the law so that their actions are not criminalized.

Question 56

What is the stat that shows corporate crime costs more than ordinary crime in the USA?

Answer 56

Corporate crime costs the USA 10x more than ordinary crime.

Question 57

Who talks about the scale of corporate crime?

Answer 57

Tombs ( 2013)

Question 58

What does Tombs (2013) say?

Answer 58

CC does far more harm than 'ordinary crime' it has enomourous physical, environmental and economic costs. He concludes that CC is widespread, routine and pervasive. 5 types.

Question 59

What are the 5 different types of Corporate crime according to Tombs?

Answer 59

Finaniclal crime (e.g. tax evasion, money laundering. Victims tend to be government) Consumer crime ( selling unfit goods) State- corporate ( crimes when govt and businesses cooperate to achieve their goals. Employees ( breaking health and safety laws Environmental ( e.g. toxic waste dumping)

Question 60

What are examples of Financial, consumer and Employees corporate crime?

Answer 60

Amazon tax avoidance (paid just (£2.6bn) in tax on its income so far this decade despite achieving revenues of $960.5bn and profits of $26.8bn.) Consumer ( Horse meat scandal 2013, foods being advertised to have beef but actually horse meat) Employees ( Rana plaza)

Question 61

What is the Abu -ghraib toture and how is it an example of state corporate crime?

Answer 61

TBA

Question 62

What is the abuse of trust all about?

Answer 62

Proffesionals occupy postions of trust and respectability that give them the opportunity to violate this trust.

Question 63

Who is the sociologist that talks about Abuse of trust?

Answer 63

Carrabine et al (2014 we entrust our finances, our health etc, allowing them to abuse our trust.

Question 64

What is an example of the Abuse of trust?

Answer 64

The Accounting firm KPMG apart of the big four, admmited to major tax fraud and paid 456 million fine.

Question 65

What is another example of a corporate crime abusing the trust of patients?

Answer 65

GP Harold shipman was convicted by obtaining powerful opiate by forgery and deception, he had been convicted to kill 15 patients but it is to believed he killed at least another 200. Yet he only received a warning and countined being a GP.

Question 66

Why are these examples of the abuse of trust useful?

Answer 66

this makes white collar crime a greater threat to society than W/C 'street crime because it promotes distrust pof key institutions.

Question 67

What is the Invisibility of corporate crime about?

Answer 67

CC is often invisible or else not even seen as 'real crime because of 4 reasons : The media, Lack of political will, De-labelling and under reporting.

Question 68

How do the Media create an Invisitibility of CC?

Answer 68

The media give very little coverage of corporate crime, ( technical infringments), this reinforces the idea that CC is a w/c issue. When they do report CC they often use careful language ( e.g. work deaths become accidents)

Question 69

What is A03 evaluation against the media creating invisibility of crime?

Answer 69

Media investigations into Corporate tax avoidance may now be making CC more visible than the past. Since 2008 finanical crisis campaigns against Tax avoidance such as Occupy are making CC more visible.

Question 70

How does a Lack of political view? create an Invisitibility of CC?

Answer 70

Politicians often recycle being tough on crime, but follow this up by focusing on street crime. Uk govt uses victim surveys to discover extent of ordinary crime ( e.g burglary) but totally ignore CC in these surveys.

Question 71

How does De-labeling create an Invisitibility of CC?

Answer 71

CC is reguarly de-criminalised. They are often civil and not criminal offences and fines are usually handed instead of jail. ( e.g. 3,600 uk citzens with secret bank accounts with HSBC. This led only to one prosecution.

Question 72

How does underreporting create an Invisitibility of CC?

Answer 72

Often victims are society at large rather than an individual, many people are unaware they are victims , or regard it not as a 'real crime , or feel powerless to report it. e.g PPI Scandal

Question 73

What was the PPI scandal?

Answer 73

tba

Question 74

What has made CC more visible recently?

Answer 74

Neoliberal policies such as marketisation and privatisation of public services mean that large corporations are more involved in peoples lives and therefore more exposed to public scrutiny than b4.

Question 75

What are 4 alternative explanations of Corporate crime?

Answer 75

Strain theory Differential association Labeling theory Marxism

Question 76

What is Strain theory explanation of CC including sociologist?

Answer 76

If a company cannot achieve its goal of maximizing profit by legitimate means it may employ illegal ones instead. Clinard and Yeager (1980) found companies' law violations increased as their profitability declined.

Question 77

What is Differential association explanation of CC including sociologists?

Answer 77

Sutherland ( 1949) believes that crime is socially learned behaviour. Employees are more likely to commit crime if the company's culture justifies doing so. Gais ( 1967) trainee stock brokers socialised into price-fixing despite the practice being illegal.

Question 78

What is Labelling theory explanation of CC including sociologists?

Answer 78

An act counts as a crime only if it is has been labelled. Companies often have power to avoid labelling e.g. by hiring expensive lawyers.

Question 79

What are Marxists explanation of CC?

Answer 79

sees CC as resulting from normal capitalism. Capitalism goal is profit maximisng which inevitably causes harm e.g. to employees and consumers. Corporations comply with law only if strictly enforced.

Question 80

What is an A03 evaluation all these explanations of CC?

Answer 80

It fails to explain crime by non profit making organisations e,g, the state e.g. communist regimes commit crimes against health and safety.

Question 81

What is another evaluation against all companies commitng CC?

Answer 81

Both strain and Marxism seem to over predict the amount of business crime. It is unrealistic to assume all businesses would offend without risk of punishment. e.g. keeping good will with companies you do business with is a reason not to offend.