Unit 2 - Sociological theories 2.3 Flashcards
(32 cards)
Who do Marxists believe cause criminality?
MARXISM
Criminality is caused by an unequal capitalist society (the owners of means of production)
MARXISM
Why does capitalism cause criminality?
MARXISM
The working class (proletariat) are exploited by the ruling class (bourgeoisie) in order for them to make a profit
MARXISM
Who goes unpunished as a result of capitalism?
MARXISM
Selective law enforcement protects the interests of the wealthy who often commit white collar crime like tax evasion but go unpunished while the poor are criminalised and street crimes like theft are heavily policed
MARXISM
What does capitalism drive people into?
MARXISM
Poverty which means crimes such as theft is needed for survival e.g. stealing food
MARXISM
How does capitalism make people feel?
MARXISM
Alienated and frustrated so engage in **violent crime **such as affray and vandalism to vent their anger
MARXISM
Evaluation of Marxism
MARXISM
- Weakness - Reductionist, reduces the complex phenomena of crime down to capitalism as other would argue society is complex and fragmented, too simplistic of an explanation
- Weakness - Only focuses on the influence of social class, crime is unlikely to be influenced by one trait and others could include ethnicity and age, limited explanation as doesn’t consider all characteristics
- Weakness - Cannot explain white collar crime, assumes working class individuals are more likely to commit crime but white collar is committed by middle class people, limits the theories usefulness
MARXISM
What does Merton Strain Theory state?
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
Crime is a result of blocked opportunities where there is a gap between **society’s goals **and the means available to achieve them
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
What is the American Dream?
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
Sold in the media where individuals are encouraged to strive for success particularly in wealth and possesions e.g. big house, flash cars but not everyone has the legitamate means to achieve them e.g education, wealth known as blocked opportunities
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
What do blocked opportunities create a feel of?
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
Strain where individuals then turn to illegitmate means e.g. theft to reach these goals
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
Which of Merton’s responses lead to criminality?
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
Innovation and retreatism
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
What is innovation?
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
Indiviudals accept the goals by using illegal means to achieve them such as theft or fraud
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
What is retreatism?
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
Individuals reject the goals and means which leads to homelessness and drug use
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
What is anomie?
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
A breakdown of social norms, values and expectations within a society due to many individuals turning to crime to achieve the ‘American Dream’
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
Evaluation of Merton Strain Theory
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
- Weakness - Doesn’t explain crime that has no monetary gain ,only explains economic crime and not violent crime, limited explanation as does not explain why all crimes occur
- Weakness - Not all working class people turn to crime, doesn’t explain why individuals do not turn to crime, limited explanation
- Weakness - Overestimates the extent of working class crime, does not account for middle class crime e.g. white collar, limited explanation as it does not explain the crimes of other groups
MERTON STRAIN THEORY
What is interactionalism? (Labelling)
INTERACTIONALISM
Where individuals commit low level crime, such as stealing sweets from a shop, and get labelled as criminal by those around them
INTERACTIONALISM
What does labelling lead to?
INTERACTIONALISM
Deviancy amplification where they commit more crime in order to match their label
INTERACTIONALISM
What is a self-fullfilling prophecy?
INTERACTIONALISM
Where individuals start using criminal slang, using no manners and wearing criminal clothing in order to live up to their criminal stereotype
INTERACTIONALISM
What is a ‘master status?
INTERACTIONALISM
Where criminality has become the most important part of their identity which leads to serious crime such as drug dealing and stealing cars
INTERACTIONALISM
Evaluation of Interactionalism
INTERACTIONALISM
- Weakness - Does not explain why crime occurs in the first place, explains amplification but not why and individual commits crime originally to be labelled, limited explanation
- Weakness - Deterministic, disregards personal choice and some people reject the label given to them, ignores peoples free will and ability to choose their own behaviour
- Weakness - Alternative explanations of crime, evidence proving how poverty or capitalism causes crime, not a sole explanation of crime
INTERACTIONALISM
What is Right Realism based on?
RIGHT REALISM
The political ideology of right wing conservative views
RIGHT REALISM
What does right realism state?
RIGHT REALISM
That individuals are responsible for their crimes and that crime is a rational choice
RIGHT REALISM
Who doe right realists believe are causing crime?
RIGHT REALISM
The growing underclass which is made up of people who use poor english, foul language, have low education and are workshy who also lack social bonds commit petty crime such as drunk and disordely and vandalism
RIGHT REALISM
Why are the underclass discouraged to work?
RIGHT REALISM
The welfare state offered to them has created dependency
RIGHT REALISM
Which theories align with right realism views?
RIGHT REALISM
Rational choice theory and broken window theory
RIGHT REALISM
