Marxist theories of crime and deviance

• Marxist theories of crime and deviance - 1

  • capitalism is criminogenic
  • its very nature leads to crime as it causes exploitation of the working class
  • capitalism = leads to ever increasing gap between the rich and poor and it is not surprising that the poor turn to crime in order to afford the necessities
  • frustration of exploitation - lead to violence
  • GORDON
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance - 1

  GORDON

  • crime is a rational reaction to capitalist foci: Greed, profit, competition and materialism
  • found in all social class despite what official statistics suggest
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance - 2

  • selective law enforcement means that the criminal justice system applies the law to different social groups in different ways
  • where as the working class and ethnic minorities are criminalised - the powerful and rich appear to get let off or ignored
  • REIMAN
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance - 2

  • REIMAN
  • the ruling class are more likely to commit crime but less likely to have the offence treated as criminal one
  • e.g. social security fraud is committed by the poor and almost always leads to prosecution but tax evasion doesnt
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance - 3

  • selective law enforcement means that the law themselves are socially constructed to benefit the rich and powerful
  • BOX - rich often engage in activities which result in death, fraud but the activities are protected under the law - health and safety law
  • CHAMBLISS
  • SNIDER
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance - 3

  • CHAMBLISS - law is shaped to protect property and profits of the rich and powerful
  • SNIDER - governments are reluctant to pass laws which will regulate the activities of businesses or threaten profitability as this will effect donations
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance - 4

  • the ideological functions of crime are to give a reason for the social control by the ruling class in order to prevent revolution from occurring
  • criminals are often portrayed as disturbed by the media rather than reveal the role that capitalism
  • PEARCE
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance - 4

  • PEARCE - laws are occasionally passed which on the surface look like they are to benefit the working class but the reality is that they still benefit the ruling class through loop holes and lack of prosecution
  • 2007 corporate homicide law - first 8 years - only 1 prosecution
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance AO3

  • ignores other causes of crime

  Marxism focuses on class inequalities and ignores other inequalities - gender and ethnicity. Ignores any other causes outside inequality
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance AO3

  • passive working class / romanticises criminals

  Suggests that the working class cannot help but commit crime due to economic circumstance - criminals are not to blame but the society in which they live has caused their behaviour
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance AO3

  • crime in communist states

  if crime was a symptom of capitalism then communist states would be crime scene - not shown in Soviet Russia
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance AO3

  • ignores the victims of the crime

  Most of the victims of crime are the poor and working class if marxist views were accurate then the ruling class would be victims
• Marxist theories of crime and deviance AO3

  • law makers in modern democracies are elected

  Modern democracies and law makers are elected by the electorate and include a range of interests. Most criminal laws not controversial and there is a consensus regarding the greater good