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Marxist Theory of Crime & Law - Coggle Diagram
Marxist Theory of Crime & Law
Marxists see crime as something inevitable in a capitalist society, used as a mean of social control by the bourgeoise (ruling class).
Crime begins in youth in the disadvantaged social class, because of unfavourable conditions in the community. The bourgeoise have control over institutions such as the police, prisons, schools, the justice system, which all encourage conformity.
Proletariat’s (working class) labour is exploited by the capitalists to make a profit.
Marxists argue that WCC, committed by the more powerful in society are ignored, but crimes committed by the less powerful such as burglary and street crimes are policed heavily and seen as more serious. Different social classes are policed differently, the proletariat (working class) are heavily policed, as are expected to be more criminal, increasing the chances of their crime being detected.
Finally, they believe gov. stats (around 42%) are fabricated and misleading, to suit their own purpose, getting public support for gov. actions which trespass on freedoms.
Capitalism is a crime causing system.
Reasons:
1) Exploitation of working class drives many people into poverty, meaning crime may be the only way to survive.
2) Capitalism continually pushes consumer goods at people through advertising resulting in utilitarian crimes (e.g. theft) to obtain them.
3) Inequality causes feelings of alienation and frustration resulting in non – utilitarian crimes e.g. violence and vandalism.
4) Capitalism causes crime among the capitalists themselves
Selective law enforcement – Marxists agree with that the law is enforced selectively. Carson found only 3/200 companies who had broken safety laws were prosecuted. Only one successful prosecution of a UK firm in 8 years for corporate homicide. Corporate crimes are often punished less severely with fines rather than jail time even if it causes great harm to the person.
Crime and the law are a set of ideas that conceal the inequality of a capitalist society. Selective enforcement makes it look as if a crime is the fault of the working class -> divides the working class and encourages workers to blame working class criminals for their problems, rather than capitalism.
Also shifts the attention away from much more serious ruling class crime.
Some laws do benefit workers to a limited extent e.g. health and safety laws. However, Pearce argues that these also benefit capitalism by giving it a caring face.
Evaluation
Strengths
Shows how poverty & inequality can cause working class crime & how capitalism promotes greed & how capitalism promotes greed & encourages upper class crime
Shows how law enforcement & law making are biased against the working class & are in favour of the powerful
Weaknesses
Focuses on class & ignores the relationship between crime & other inequalities such as gender & ethnicity
Over predicts the amount of working class crime not all poor people turn to crime
Not all capitalist societies have high crime rates Japan's homicide rate is only 1/5 of the USA's -> but Marxists do point out that capitalist societies with a little welfare provision have higher crime rates
Key Idea
: Capitalism is criminogenic: it is the root cause of crime. All classes commit crime but selective law enforcement means crime appears to be only a working – class problem.