Neo-marxist theories of crime and deviance

• Fully social theory means a comprehensive understanding of crime and deviance for the betterment of society
• Neo-marxist - elements of a fully social theory of crime

  1. the wider origins of the deviant act
  2. the immediate origins of the deviant act
  3. the act itself
  4. the immediate origins of the social region
  5. the wider origins of social reaction
  6. the effect of labelling
• Neo-marxist - elements of a fully social theory of crime

  -> applied to HALL policing the crisis

  1. the wider origins of the deviant act

  The 1980s was a time of social crisis
• Neo-marxist - elements of a fully social theory of crime

  -> applied to HALL policing the crisis

  2. The immediate origins of the deviant act

  Inner city riots, conflict in NI, strikes
• Neo-marxist - elements of a fully social theory of crime

  -> applied to HALL policing the crisis

  3. The act itself

  Mugging - police suggest more likely to be carried out be African Caribbean men
• Neo-marxist - elements of a fully social theory of crime

  -> applied to HALL policing the crisis

  4. the immediate origins of the social reaction

  Media outrage at muggings

  Racism in the MET police
• Neo-marxist - elements of a fully social theory of crime

  -> applied to HALL policing the crisis

  5. The wider origins of the social reaction

  The need to fins a scapegoat and ease with which African Caribbean men could be blamed
• Neo-marxist - elements of a fully social theory of crime

  -> applied to HALL policing the crisis

  6. The effect of labelling

  Sense of injustice amongst ethnic minority, loss of confidence in the criminal justice system by ethnic minority
• 3 ways Neo-marxism agrees with trad marxism

  1. capitalism is based on exploitation and class conflict and understanding this is key to understanding crime
  2. the state creates and enforces laws for the benefit of the ruling class
  3. capitalism should be replaced with a classless society where crime would be greatly reduced
• 4 ways crime can be considered voluntarist - neo-marxism

  1. criminals make a conscious choice to commit crime - meaningful
  2. political motives behind crime - addressing inequalities in wealth
  3. criminals are not passive puppets of capitalism
  4. free will
• Neo-marxist crime AO3

  ROCK - gives an overly romantic view of criminals

  • Robin Hoods who are fighting an unjust system
  • Left realism - points out the majority of crime is against the working class by the working class
• Neo-marxist crime AO3

  HIRST - regards neo-marxism as having strayed too far from traditional Marxism to be considered linked
• Neo-marxist crime AO3

  Feminist criticism: Gender blind theory

  • applies the same explanations to both men and women
  • despite that men and women generally have different motivations for criminal activity
• Neo-marxist crime AO3

  • not all crime is politically motivated - domestic violence and rape
  • right realists - crime is opportunistic rather than a reaction to a perceived injustice
• Neo-marxist crime AO3

  • theory is overly idealistic and difficult to apply to real life
  • hall isn't a perfect fit