Flashcards on Marxist and Critical Criminologies (1.3)

Karl Marx wrote very little about crime. Which sociologist developed the first marxist theory of crime?

What is the starting point for the marxist analysis of criminal law and law enforcement?

Give an example of a law that largely benefits those with money:

It is generally agreed that violent crime is dangerous and needs to be socially controlled. However, what do marxists argue?

In his book, what does Jeffery Reiman argue about the law of theft?

Laureen Snider claims that in capitalist societies, laws that threaten the interests of large corporations by undermining their profits are rarely passed. Why?

Andrew Sayer believes that the rich largely shape the law so that they are unlikely to be imprisoned. How do they do so?

According to the Tax Justice Network, how much does the government lose each year due to the existence of tax havens?

In contrast to tax laws, laws against benefit scroungers are strict and punitive. However, which sociologist argues that tax avoidance may cost the government more than 20 times as much as benefit fraud?

Marxists argue that the ruling class impose their values upon the mass of the population. What does this produce?

The criminal justice system is one agency used to disseminate ideology. For example, how does the constant emphasis on so-called benefit scroungers help the ruling class?

In 2013, a survey by YouGov revealed that respondents believed 27% of social security was fraudulently claimed. What is the real figure of false claims?

Despite believing that the law-making process reflects ruling-class interests, marxists do believe the law has the potential to do what?

However, despite this potential, marxists note that the interpretation and enforcement of the law is biased in favour of the ruling class, meaning what?

What punishment is given to tax evaders? How does this compare to the punishment given to those who commit benefit fraud?

What does the term 'corporate crime' refer to?

What crimes are included under the term 'street crime'?

Which sociologist argued that corporate crime does far more harm, both economically and physically, than street crimes?

Between 1890 and 1969, how many corporate offenders were given a prison sentence?

Of those 5% who were given prison sentences, how many were business leaders?

Why do very few corporate crimes result in prosecution?

Class bias in law enforcement is also evident in the seemingly lenient treatment of what type of crime?

Why are white-collar crimes often not prosecuted?

What was a widely publicised example of white-collar crime?

Many white-collar offenders aren't actually members of the ruling class. Why do they still rarely face prosecution?

What is another type of crime that interests marxists because it largely benefits the ruling class?

Marxist theory also provides an explanation for actual offending. Which sociologist argued that capitalism is based upon competition, selfishness and greed, and that this forms people's attitudes to life?

Why do marxists argue that the values of capitalism explain the reasoning behind crime?

What two terms did David Gordon used to describe capitalism?

The criminogenic explanation accounts for material crime. However, what does it fail to explain?

Which sociologist argued that all crime should be explained in terms of social conditions rather than individual motivation?

It has been argued that lack of opportunity is the result of dysfunction within industrial societies. However, Reiman argues that lack of opportunity is actually what?

Reiman states that in a culture dominated by capitalist ideology, social injustice leads to lack of opportunity. In turn, what does lack of opportunity lead to?

Marxists argue that crime plays a significant part in supporting the ideology of capitalism. Why?

Reiman argues that crime is routinely portrayed as the result of what?

Crime is often portrayed as being carried out largely by the poor and poverty itself is usually seen as the result of moral imperfections (e.g. laziness). What does this suggest?

This representation of crime leads to the public encouraging what?

The marxist approach to crime has a number of strengths. Firstly, unlike functionalists, it doesn't assume that all laws benefit all members of society or reflect a value consensus. Why?

While functionalists accepts that there can be functional rebels anticipating a better society in the future, they aren't clear on what a better society might look like. How does this differ from the marxist approach?

Functionalists believe that something needs to go wrong in order for crime to occur. What do marxists argue?

Marxism builds upon the work of labelling theorists. What argument put forward by labelling theorists does it take account of?

However, marxism extends beyond labelling theory in developing a theory of power. What does this theory explain?

What are the three aspects of criminality marxism addresses?

Despite its strengths, the marxist approach also has a handful of weaknesses. The traditional marxist explanation for law creation and enforcement can be described as one-dimensional. Why?

The explanation for crime is also one-dimensional. By implying that the law will always be biased and all groups could become criminal in capitalist society, what does marxism fail to explain?

Marxism associates high crime rates with capitalism. However, which sociologist points out that some capitalist countries (e.g. Sweden, Japan) actually have very low crime rates?

Marxists also struggle to explain the relationship between crime and what other factors?

The distribution of power may also be more complex than marxists assume. Why?

Marxist research places emphasis on social structure rather than social action. However, what does this result in?

What weakness can be identified in not only the marxist explanation, but many of the sociological explanations of crime?

Despite its weaknesses, what can marxism be credited with?

Traditional marxism is sometimes seen as somewhat crude. Neo-marxism attempts to rectify this. What is an extremely well-known branch of neo-marxism that attempts to explain crime and deviance?

The neo-marxist subcultural theory provides a specific explanation for the existence of what?

The Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies argues that capitalism maintains control over the majority of the population in which two ways?

Which groups are not 'locked in' by ideology and finance, and are thus able to resist capitalism?

Which sociologist argues that the resistance to capitalism is expressed through working-class youth subcultures?

In what ways do working-class youth subcultures resist capitalism?

How does Brake describe this resistance?

Brake argues that each generation of working-class youth face the same problems but in different circumstances. What does he mean by this?

Stanley Cohen criticised neo-marxist subcultural theorists for being biased. Why?

Subcultural theorists have also been criticised for using 'semiology'. What is this?

Why is using semiology problematic?

Shane Blackman notes that the emphasis on the working-class basis of subcultural resistance ignores what?

Which sociologist argues that the supposed social-class basis to youth subcultures is merely a media creation?

Another neo-marxist theory of crime was created by Ian Taylor et al. What is it called?

How does the New Criminology differ from subcultural theory?

Why did Taylor et al develop the New Criminology?

Taylor et al argued that in order to understand why a particular crime occurred, it is not enough to simply examine the individual's motivation and obvious influences (as traditional marxists do). Instead, what must also be examined?

Another aspect of the new criminology is that, apart from the actual analysis that is suggested, it also argued that any sociology of crime and deviance must be critical of the established capitalist order. What does this mean?

What was the implication of the new criminology?

Ian Taylor et al were particularly in support of what?

Which sociologist's study demonstrates a successful application of the new criminology?

Which sociologist criticises the new criminology for taking 'too romantic a view' of criminals by portraying them as fighting against political injustice?

Which feminist sociologist argued that the new criminology did not provide any discussion on the power of patriarchy in the analysis, which simply continued the omission of women from criminological discussion?

Although Stuart Hall did manage to apply the new criminology to his work, what other criticism can be made about the theory?

Traditional marxism and the new criminology paved the way for a wider approach. What is this wider approach known as?

The new criminology played an important role in inspiring critical criminology. Why?

Despite its diversity, critical criminology has two common unifying features. What are they?