class and crime

• statistics on social class and crime

  working class individuals are more likely to commit crimes like theft or violent crimes

  whereas, middle class individuals are more likely to commit crimes like fraud or tax evasion
• Murray - New Right


  he suggested that the welfare state created welfare dependency and that there were incentives in the welfare system that created a criminal underclass
• London and UK riots - 2011

  66% of 10-17 year olds charged have special educational needs

  42% of 10-17 year olds charged claimed free school meals

  the younger rioters tended to be poor and struggling in education
• misleading statistics

  marxists argue that many crimes committed by the wealthy don't make their way into crime statistics

  the rich are less likely to be investigated and are more likely to be able to afford a good lawyer
• white collar crime

  crimes committed by the middle class

  for example , fraud or tax evasion
• corporate crime

  crimes committed by companies rather than individuals
• Beck - risk society


  1995 - risk society is the shared knowledge of rising crime
• statistical explosion in a risk society - Maguire


  Maguire - notes how we are bombarded with data and this makes our knowledge of crime greater and adds to the fear of crime