Marxism and crime

• Criminogenic society


  Crime benefits capitalism
• Law creation


  Actions may not be illegal but are viewed as wrong by society
• Ruling class crime

  Underrepresented by official crime statistics and don't get prosecuted
• Law enforcement 


  The law enforcement is biased as they only arrest the working class
• Marxist subcultural study


  Capitalism maintains power in two ways:

  • Ideological dominence through media
  • Economic pressures
• New criminology

  Labelling + Marxism

  • 'Black muggers' - Hall et al

  Used this to divert attention away from government and ruling class crime
• Left realism


  Emphasis on tackling root causes of crime

  • Marginalisation
  • Relative deprivation
  • Subcultures
• Right realism


  Eliminating poverty will not tackle crime. Focuses on zero tolerance
• Traditional Marxism


  CJS maintains power in four ways:

  • Non-decision making
  • Selective law enforcement
  • Criminogenic society
  • Law creation