Crime and Deviance Theorists Flashcards
How does Gordon link Greed to crime?
In a capitalist society, individuals are often encourages to constantly desire more, fostering a sense of never ending greed - this can lead to criminal activity
How does Gordon link Profit to crime?
Capitalism’s is based on profit - making and this drive can lead companies to engage in white collar and corporate crime
How does Gordon link completion to crime?
In a capital system, peoples and companies are often pitted against each other, fostering an environment where success is measured by outperforming others - this competitive nature can lead to practises like insider trade
What is the link Gordon gives between Materialism and crime?
Relative deprivation plays a significant role in criminogenic capitalism - the constant competition with others creates a sense of relative deprivation - lead to criminal activity to acquire material goods
Non - utilitarian crime; reaction to exploitation?
Crimes that are acts of anger (graffiti) are not for financial gain it was simply to vent against systemic inequalities
What is selective law making?
The creation of laws favour the ruling class & so create criminal class within the working population
Law benefits the rich and powerful where the WC are criminalised and the rich get let off or ignored
What theorists support selective law making?
Chambliss - it is designed to protect the rich and powerful
What is selective law enforcement?
The criminal justice system applies the law to different social groups in different ways
What does selective law enforcement challenge the idea of?
Challenges the notion that all individuals are equal under the law
What is Raimans view on the RC in crime?
They can commit crimes without facing investigations or legal classification for their actions as a criminal
What are the 6 aspects of crime that Neo Marxists say you should look at?
- Structural Origins of the crime
- The immediate cause of the act
- The act itself and meaning behind it
- The immediate social reaction to the act
5 the wider origins of the social reaction
6, the outcome of the social reaction
What does Rock say about romanticising criminals?
The idea of crime being political romanticises the crime and turns them into Robin Hood figures who are fighting against the RC
What are some of the criticisms of Neo Marxism?
- Not all crime is politically motivated
- Hard to apply crime to the real world
- Male stream theory - it applies the same explanation to both women and men, despite it being clear that men and women usually have different motivations behind criminal behaviour
What does Becker say about crime (Interactionists) /
Crime is about how others see the actions hat you do
ITS SOCIETY and the people within society that determine whether to not something is criminal or deviant
How dos Cicero add tot his?
When a group id labbeed as a criminal, the police are much more likely to focus o that group and reinforce the stereotypes on them being criminal because they’re more likely to be stopped and search or arrest because they are a part of that stereotype.
What is the difference between primary and secondary deviance?
Primary is an act committed without witnesses = no label attached and secondary is act witnessed by others = label attached
What are the consequences of labelling?
- rejection from society
- Potential start of a deviant career
Limited access to social needs
How does Braithwaite disagree with this?
Labelling theory focuses too much on negative outcomes
What are some of the strengths of labelling theory??
- identifies the role of powerful groups in defining criminality
- explains the development of deviant careers
- links to other sociological perspectives e.g Marxism.
What are some of limitations??
Deterministic - doesn’t count for individual agency
Potential to victimise offenders by removing personal responsibility k
What do right realists believe?
Because individuals choose to commit crime, even minor crimes needs to be dealt with rigorously through policies like 0 tolerance
What is the Biosocial Theory by Wilson and Herrnstein?
Some people are predisposed to criminal behaviour through personality traits such as aggressiveness
This alone is not enough to cause criminal behaviour but when combined with poor socialisation
What does Murray believe about crime?
Crimes rates are increasing due to the growing underclass of people who are dependent upon the welfare state
The underclass fails to adequately socialise their children into the norms and values of society.
Criticisms of Right Realism?
- ignores corporate crime
- ignores the wider structural causes of crime
