The Conflict Perspective
Class, Crime, and the Criminal
Justice System
Power and Inequality
The Capitalist Class, those who own the means
of production, make all the rules.
The power elite control the criminal justice
system.
Members of the working class and marginal
working class make up the largest percentage
of the prison population in the United States.
Using the Law
The working class has the potential to
rebel and overthrow the current social
order.
The criminal justice system is designed
to arrest and punish members of the lower
classes if those members step out of line.
The law does not focus on corporate
crimes.
Corporate Crime
Did you know that corporate crime inflicts far
more damage on society than all street crime
combined?
The FBI estimates, for example, that burglary
and robbery -- street crimes -- costs the nation
$3.8 billion a year.
The losses from a handful of major corporate
frauds -- Tyco, Adelphia, Worldcom, Enron -surpasses the losses from all street robberies
and burglaries combined.
Corporate Crime
Health care fraud alone costs Americans
$100 billion to $400 billion a year
The savings and loan fraud cost us
anywhere from $300 billion to $500 billion.
Corporate Crime Isn’t Violent
The FBI estimates that, 16,000
Americans are murdered every year.
Compare this to the 56,000
Americans who die every year on the
job or from occupational diseases
such as black lung and asbestosis
and the tens of thousands of other
Americans who fall victim to the
silent violence of pollution,
contaminated foods, hazardous
consumer products, and hospital
malpractice.
Who’s In Charge?
Corporate criminals are the only criminal class in
the United States that have the power to define
the laws under which they live.
The corporate criminal lobby is large and in
charge.
“They have marinated Washington -- from the
White House to the Congress -- with their
monetary contributions. And out the other end
come the laws they can live with. They still
violate their own rules with impunity. But they
make sure the laws are kept within reasonable
bounds.” – Corporate Crime: Who Pays?
He’s the Culprit!
Corporate Crime Under Prosecuted
For every company convicted of polluting
the nation’s waterways, there are many
others who are not prosecuted.
For every corporation convicted of bribery
or of giving money directly to a public
official in violation of federal law, there are
thousands who give money legally through
political action committees to candidates
and political parties.
Health Care Reform
Making Them Pay
Most corporate crimes do not
result in a criminal trial.
Civil or Class Action Lawsuits
Ordered to appear before a federal
organization to testify. Like the
Federal Trade Commission.
May be forced to pay a fine
Street Crimes
Larceny – Theft
Burglary
Drugs
Gangs
Where Do We Put Them?
[
Where Do We Put Them?
Latest Statistics
As of December 31, 2009, more than 1.6 million
prisoners were under the jurisdiction or legal authority of
state and federal correctional officials. (Prisoners at
Yearend 2009: Advance Courts )
At midyear 2009, about 1 in every 198 U.S. residents
was imprisoned with a sentence of more than 1 year, a
rate of 504 prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents. (Prison
inmates at Midyear 2009 - Statistical Tables)
In 2008, over 7.3 million people were on probation, in jail
or prison, or on parole at yearend — 3.2% of all U.S.
adult residents or 1 in every 31 adults.
State and federal prison facilities
From June 30, 2000, to December 30,
2005, the number of state and federal
correctional facilities increased by 9%,
from 1,668 to 1,821. The number of
inmates held in these facilities increased
by 10%, while the number of correctional
employees rose 3% (Census of State and
Federal Correctional Facilities, 2005)
Globally?
Illinois
At What Cost?
Police
Judges
Attorneys
Parole Officers
Facilities
At What Cost?
In 2008, federal, state, and local governments spent
about $75 billion on corrections.
Is Our System Effective?
Recidivism


Percentage of prisoners who are rearrested
In Illinois the recidivism rate is about 54%
The Revolving Door

Most repeat offenders are drug related
What’s Next?
How would you change our reaction to
deviance?
In what ways might we improve our
society and the criminal justice system?
Or do you believe that our system is
effective in dealing with deviance?
Explain.
END