Marxism

Question 1

Marx

Answer 1

• capitalism as criminogenic (nature of capitalism causes criminal/ deviant behaviour)
• laws are means of ruling class keeping others in check

Question 2

Gordon

Answer 2

• crime is a rational response to a capitalist system helping ruling class control
• seen as a w/c problem, justifying the need to control and imprison them
• directs attention away from bourgeoisie crime

Question 3

Chambliss

Answer 3

• looked at organised crime in Seattle in 1960s, found most controlled by a small elite group including senior members of business and the police force
• police spent most of their time dealing with minor public offences

Question 4

Pearce

Answer 4

• also studied organised crime in USA, conducted on a larger scale by w/c
• laws provide an ideological function by giving capitalism a friendly face, eg healthy and safety laws–> instead just keep workers healthy and fit for work

Question 5

Box

Answer 5

• selective law enforcement means only disadvantaged groups get targeted–> young, black, w/c
• process of mystification- creating stereotypes as to the small minority is criminalised (ideologically defined)
• process of criminalisation; w/c values to be criminalised, identities constructed as stigmatised criminal identities

Question 6

Southerton

Answer 6

• white collar crime; defined as ‘crime committed by a person of responsibility and high social status in the course of his occupation’

Question 7

Criticisms of Marxism

Answer 7

• ignores relationship between crime, gender or ethnicity
• too deterministic, over predicts amount of w/c crime
• not all capitalist societies have high crime rates