marxist theory

• capitalism is criminogenic - capitalist values have importance for money, profit and consumerism leading to greed, self interest and commit utilitarian crime
• HOW CAPITALISM CAUSES CRIME

  consumerism and greed - tv adverts 'false needs' create 'culture of envy' for working class so turn to crime to get the things

  AO3 LINK TO MERTON
• HOW CAPITALISM CAUSES CRIME

  capitalism creates poverty and inequality so working class commit crime to live
• HOW CAPITALISM CAUSES CRIME

  frustration at capitalist system - non utilitarian crimes seen to vent frustration and alienation of capitalism

  AO3 - too deterministic not all poor commit crime, ignoring free will
• HOW CAPITALISM CAUSES CRIME

  why ruling commit crime - greed of higher class leads to white collar crimes for personal gain eg. financial fraud. corporate crime by powerful companies to benefit company
• crimes of powerful like tax evasion, breach of health and safety laws
• two types of crime of ruling class

  1. white collar - committed by an employee at work for personal interest
  2. corporate - benefit of companies to increase profit and economic status eg. against consumers, employees, environment or financial
• however the view capitalism causes crime is criticised as not all capitalist societies have high crime rates eg. japan due to different cultures
• HOW CAPITALISM CAUSES CRIME

  laws benefit ruling class - protect their interests eg. laws on private property or keep working class in false class consciousness to prevent a revolution -
• HOW CAPITALISM CAUSES CRIME

  laws benefit ruling class - eg. health laws help give capitalism a 'caring face' but benefit ruling to have healthy workers and maintain profit

  snider - laws can also not be passed eg. grenfell

  HOWEVER functionalists disagree and say laws benefit everyone to keep society smooth
• HOW CAPITALISM CAUSES CRIME

  police mostly only target working class offenders as they fit capitalist stereotype of criminals to shift public attention from ruling class who commit harmful crimes - working class in a false class consciousness thinking all criminals are in the streets for ruling to get away

  AO3 left realist believe they ignore how it affects working class community and only concentrates on white collar and corporate crime
• HOW CAPITALISM CAUSES CRIME

  criminal justice system lenient on ruling class offenders as do not fit the stereotype and use economic capital
• HOW CAPITALISM CAUSES CRIME EVALUATION

  economic determinisim - see capitalism the only cause of crime

  feminists say patriachy is a cause

  contradiction - say outcome is of biased policing but then say working class are forced into crime
• NEO MARXISM

  believe working class are not forced into crime, have free will and is a part of a political protest
• NEO MARXISM

  new criminology - 'fully social theory of deviance' agree crime is due to capitalism and labelling effects EG. Hall 'black mugger'
• NEO MARXISM EVALUATION

  negative sterotypes and conflict with police and black community exists today suggesting explanation is still relevant