lOMoARcPSD|28296489 SOCIO102 Lecture 5 Introduction to Criminology (University of Waikato) Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university Downloaded by Katashi (perezivanmiguel@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28296489 SOCIO102 Lecture 5 27th March 2019 Class and Crime ‘Law favours those in power since they create laws & define what constitues a criminal act.” Social control is the (or part of) the problem, not the solution. Crime is a result of pawer relations inherent within the capitalist mode of production. What is Critical Criminology? Taylor, Walton and Young (1973) Developed in the early 1970’s to take in account recent changes in capitalist society. Agree Agree with traditional Marxists on the structural process by which: The state defines certain criminal acts as criminal Actively criminalises certain groups (working class) Capitalism causes extreme inequalities in wealth % power, & status & this is the key to understanding crime Disagree Critical of Marxists for being too deterministic (all events are determined by previously existinf causes), didn’t believe workers committed crimes out of economic necessity per se. Argued people voulintarly made choices to commit crime, saw crime as deliberate with ‘political moves’ We need to consider what the criminal/deviant act means to the criminal The State, Crises of Hegemony & Crime Control Concept of hegemony developed by Antonio Gramsci According to Gramsci capitalism has hegemonic (ruling/dominant in political/social context) dominance, it is dominant economic system that most of us accept as the best system for us. Gramsci argues the aim of the State is to manage capitalism, when its suffering from a ‘crisis of hegemony’, by diverting attention away from ‘real’ problems of capitalism by finding a scapegoat (through labelling) constructing moral panics & by creating ‘enemies within’ Examples of ‘resistance’ of to ‘capitalist oppression’ Anti (vietnam) war movement Black, Red & Brown Power Gay Liberation Feminist & Women’s rights movements 1970’s These were a ‘sign’ that capitalism was losing its ideological control over society – rise of proletarian (working class) consciousness/ a decline of false consciousness Downloaded by Katashi (perezivanmiguel@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28296489 SOCIO102 Lecture 5 27th March 2019 The ‘real’ problem became young, black, urban, ghetto youth in U.S.A, afrocaribbean & working class white youth in Great Britain, Aborigines & Maori in AUS & NZ. Full Social Theory of Deviance The ‘new criminologists’ proposed a ‘full social theory of deviance’, one that proposed that deviance be explored in terms of: Social Structure (institutions/culture/economy) and in terms of: Interaction (meanings/self concept/social reaction) Capitalist system = wider society Economic structure of society is the root of all actions in that society In a capitalist society wealth is distributed unequally But we are all socialised to desire material wealth (Mertonian theory) The Act Itself Why should a person choose to commit that particular type of crime? What does that act mean to the criminal? Eg. Was it a form of rebellion against capitalism/racism/inequality Immediate Origins of the Societal Reaction Reaction of those around the deviant, such as police, family, etc. when they discover the deviance Do police respond differently to indigenous offenders Do members of the public trear certain groups/actions differently? Is there a reason why the immediate reaction may be sevre, have they been influenced by moral panic? Wider Origins of Deviant Reaction All about wider background to law creation & enforcement. Involves media too. Who has power to define an act as deviant (label it) who has power to stereotype a group as deviant (& what would they want to)? Gramsci’s Concept of Scapegoating Why are some acts treated more harshly than others? Why are some groups treated more harshly than others? Does it benefut any ‘powerful’ groups to demonise a less powerful group? Downloaded by Katashi (perezivanmiguel@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28296489 SOCIO102 Lecture 5 27th March 2019 Eg. Do people react in the same way to female sexual abusers than they do males? Effects of Labelling on the Deviant We need to understand how the labelled criminals & groups respond to being labelled This is known as: self concept/master status, all can lead to the formation of subcultures Young’s concept of ‘deviance amplification’ = where the reaction to the deviance creates more deviance Critical Criminology Today Explores how the powerful shape law (for their own benefit( Explores connection between social class & crime Challenges the criminal justice system & the power it holds (activism) Critical Criminology Critical Criminology (CC) is based on the view that crime results from conflict that exists in society – mainly economic & class conflicts (conflict over resources, meaning “mode of protection” & the extraction of labour that = profits) Laws are created by the powerful to protect their own intrests Laws & policing tactics disproportionately target the ‘have nots’ Crime would decrease if glogal inequality decreases Instrumental Theorists CC who view law & CJS (crim justice system) as serving the intrests of the upper class Morality & ‘standards’ are set by those who weild economic & political power Control violent crimes, drug laws, tax laws & related systems Poor are arrested & punished more harshly; while rich commit financial crimes that lead to bankruptcy & death that are predominantly punished via fines Structural Theorists CC who believe law is designed to keep capitalism running smoothly Some rich are punished; because when they comit corporate crimes they disrupt flow of capitalism eg. Laws against price fixing, false advertising etc. Downloaded by Katashi (perezivanmiguel@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28296489 SOCIO102 Lecture 5 27th March 2019 By punishing rich, system appears fair to masses. In this sense we are arguing that sometimes wealthy are scapegoated in order to ensure the continued legitimacy of the socio-economic & political order Central Arguments of Critical Criminology Opportunities are blocked, thus people comit crimes Criminals are actually revolutionaries who are protesting against an injustice system Tagging, stealing, bobbing etc. are forms of protest Getting rid of capitalism the answer?! Critique of Marxist & Criminal Criminologies 1 Victims of crime are simply ignored & the harm done by offenders is not taken into account Explanation of law creation & enforcement tends to be one dimensional, in that all laws are seen as the outcome of the intrests of the ruling class – no allowance in made for complexity of influences on law making behaviour Accused of being over reliant on class division to explain offending behaviour Doesn’t explain why most people in most classes do not offend Downloaded by Katashi (perezivanmiguel@gmail.com)
