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Class, power, and crime - Coggle Diagram

- - - - crime is inevitable --> capitalism is criminogenic (its very existence and nature causes crime).
        Capitalism --> based on the exploitation of the working class --> damaging to them and may give rise to crime.
        Poverty --> crime is the only way the working class can survive. Crime may be the only way to obtain the consumer goods advertised by capitalists, resulting in utilitarian crimes such as theft. Alienation and a lack of control over their lives may lead to frustration and aggression, leading to non-utilitarian crimes such as violence and vandalism.
        
        For example, left realists argue that the mass media help to increase the sense of relative deprivation (feeling deprived compared to others) among poor and marginalised social groups. Lea and Young argue that the mass media have spread a standardised image of lifestyle in areas of popular culture and recreation, which creates relative deprivation among the poor and unemployed.
        
        poorest have access to media, the media present everyone with images of a materialistic “good life” of leisure, fun and consumer goods as the norm that they should conform to. As a result, this stimulates the sense of relative deprivation and social exclusion felt by marginalised groups who cannot afford these goods. As Merton argues, pressure to conform to the norm can cause deviant behaviour when the opportunity to achieve by legitimate means is blocked. In this instance, the media is instrumental in setting the norm and thus, promoting crime.
    - - The law, crime and criminals perform an ideological function for capitalism. Laws are occasionally passed that appear to benefit the working classes rather than capitalism such as workplace health and safety laws.
        
        However, Pearce argues that these laws benefit the ruling class, for example, by keeping workers fit for work. By giving capitalism a “caring face” such laws create false consciousness. These laws are not rigorously enforced. For example, Jenabi notes that a law against corporate homicide had only one successful prosecution of a UK company despite large numbers of deaths at work caused by employer’s negligence. Furthermore, the state enforces law selective policy which makes crime appear to be a working class phenomenon and divides the working class by encouraging workers to blame the criminals for their problems instead of capitalism.
        
        The media and criminologists also contribute by portraying criminals as disturbed individuals, thereby concealing the fact that it is capitalism that makes people criminals.
    - - Functionalists see the law as reflecting value consciousness and the values of society
        Marxists see lawmaking and law enforcement --> serving the interests of the capitalist class.
        Chambliss argues that laws to protect private property are the cornerstone of capitalist economy.
        the introduction of English law into Britain’s East African colonies --> interested in colonies’ tea, coffee and plantations.
        local economy was not a money economy --> the British introduced a tax payable in cash - non-payment was a criminal offence.
        cash could only be earned by working on plantations and thus, the law served the economic interests of capitalist plantation owners as they forced the African population to work.
        
        The ruling class also have the power to prevent the introduction of laws that would threaten their interests. For example, Snider notes that there are few laws that challenge the unequal distribution of wealth and the capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws that regulate the activities of businesses or threaten their profitability.
        
        Selective enforcement: Marxists agree with labelling theorists that although all classes commit crime, there is selective enforcement when applying the law by the criminal justice system. Powerless groups such as the working class and ethnic minorities are criminalised whilst the police and courts ignore the crimes of the powerful.
  - - - Phillips and Bowling (2012) notes that since the 1970s, there have been many allegations of oppressive policing of minority ethnic communities, including mass stop and search operations (Ethnic minority group members are more likely to be stopped and searched by the police --> Black people are 7x more likely to be stopped and searched and Asians 2x as likely compared to white people), excessive surveillance, armed raids, police violence and ineffective responses to racist violence.
    - - Examples include the Pandora Papers (exposing unethical or corrupt dealings of the global wealthy and elite—including prominent world leaders, politicians), Deepwater Horizon oil spill