Marxist theory of Crime and Deviance

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What do traditional marxists believe explains crime?
the structure of the capitalist society
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What do traditional marxists believe are the 3 elements of crime?
Criminogenic capitalism. Selective law enforcement. Ideological functions of crime and law.
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How do traditional marxists argue capitalism makes crime inevitable?
Because it exploits the proletariat. e.g Poverty means they have to commit crimes to survive, such as stealing food
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What do traditional marxists mean by 'crime is dog-eat-dog between capitalists'?
The constant need to win and be on top encourages white collar crime and corporate crime
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What does Gordon argue that crime is?
a rational response to the capitalist system and is found in all social classes
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What is an example of 'dog-eat-dog'?
Donald Trump vs Hilary Clinton. Apple vs Samsung
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What do traditional marxists mean by 'selective law enforcement"?
Police are more likely to tackle street crime than white-collar, and are more likely to search in city areas as they contain the people considered most likely to commit street crime (blacks, youths,working class)
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Why do traditional marxists suggest police don't tackle white-collar/corporate crimes as much as minor street crimes?
Laws are made by powerful individuals in the bourgeoisie, therefore they dont tackle 'upper-class' crimes because the individuals that created the laws want to protect themselves (the bourgeoisie create laws to protect the bourgeoisie)
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How does selected enforcement (imprisioning the working-class) benefit the bourgeoisie?
Protects the system that is responsible for their deviance. Effectively neutralises any rebellion to the system
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How does selective enforcement and defining criminals as 'animals' and 'sick' benefit the bourgoisise?
Justifies incarcerating them- keeping them in prison allows us to forget about the scale of the social transformation needed to solve the problem of crime by attacking the root of it and the scale of the inequality produced by capitalism
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What does Gordon argue that selective enforcement of the law maintains?
Maintains the ruling class power and reinforces ruling class ideology
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What does Chambliss suggest about crime and deviance?
That it is constructed by the ruling class to protect themselves.
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What does Chambliss argue about the laws to protect private property?
That they are the cornerstone of the capitalist economy.
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What does Chambliss suggest that the ruling class have the power to do?
Prevent the introduction of laws that threaten their interests
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What do traditional marxists believe are the 3 elements of crime?

Back

Criminogenic capitalism. Selective law enforcement. Ideological functions of crime and law.

Card 3

Front

How do traditional marxists argue capitalism makes crime inevitable?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What do traditional marxists mean by 'crime is dog-eat-dog between capitalists'?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What does Gordon argue that crime is?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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