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theories of crime - Coggle Diagram
theories of crime
labelling theory
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Lemert (1967)- "rest heavily on the idea that deviance leads to social control. I have come to beleive the reverse idea (social control leads to deviance"
labelling theorists claim by labelling certain people as criminal or deviant society encourages them to become more so
Becker
a deviant is simply someone who the label has been successfully applied and deviant behaviour is just behaviuouring as thier label
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labelling may cuase the label to become the indivudlas master status leading to a deviant amplification spiral resulting in increased control and then increaced deviance
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right realism
sees crime as a real and growing problem that destroys communities, undermines social cohesion and threatens society work ethic
reject the idea put forward by marxists like poverty and inequality are uases of crime. right realists beelive crime is the product of three factors: indivdual biological differences, inadequate socialisation and the indivudals rational choice to offend.
socialisation- Murray claims that the crime rate is increasinf becuase of a growing underclass who fail to sacialsie their children properly
rational choice theory- assumes that indivudals have free will and power of reason. Clarke argues that the decision to commit crime is a choice based on a rational calculation of the likely consequences
Wilson- beleives if the supply and value of legitimate opportunities was declining at the very time that the cost of illegitmate opportunities was also declining
critisms-
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-overstates offenders rationality and how far they make cost benefit calcualtions v=before commiting a crime
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tackeling crime- focus on control, containment and punishment of offenders rather than eliminating the underlying cuases of offending or rehabilitaing them
Merton's strain theory
argues people engage on deviant behvaiour when they are unable to ah cive socially approved goals by legitmate means
crutural facrors societies unequal opportunity structure) and cultural facrors (strong emopahasis on sucess goals and weakeer emphasis on using kegitmimate means to acheive them) both are explaiantions for crime
deviant adaptations to strain- he argures that an indivuals psotiton in the social structure affects the way that they adapt or respond to the stain to anomie
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left realism
reformists-beleive in gradual change rather than the violent overthrow of capitalism as the way to achieve greater equality
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they believe we need explanations of crime that will lead to practical strategies for reducing it now rahter than waiting for a revolution
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tackeling crime
policing and control- Lea and young argue more police is needed and they mainly depend on the public (military policing)
Durkheim, functioanalist crime
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inevitabilitiy of crime
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diversity of lifstyles and vlaues 9different groups have theri own subcultures, so some may be seenas deviant)
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marxism
beleive the law is enforced disprootionately against the working class and therfore the offical crime sttistics cant be taken at face value. see the capitalist society as deiveded into 2 classes: the ruling class (bourgeoisie) and working class (proletariat)
for marxists the structure of capitalist society explains crime. their view of crime has three main elements; criminogenic capitalism, the state and law making, ideological functions of crime and law
criminogenic capitalism- crime is inevitable becuase the capitalist cuases crime. Gordon argues crime is a rational repsonse to the capitalist system and hence it is ffound in all social classes even though offical staitists show it minky lower class.
state and law making- marxists see law making and law enforcment as only serving the interests of the capitalist class. Chambliss (1975) argues that laws to protect privatre property are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy
ideological functions of crime and law- laws are occasionally passed that appear to be for the benefit of the working class rather than capitalism (workplace health and safety laws)
neo marxist
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taylor et al- believe capitalist society is based on exploitation and class conflict and characterised by extreme inequalities of wealth and power (same as marxists). however they argue marxism is deterministic, they take a voluntaristic view (free will)
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