Social Class + Crime

Question 1

What are the main patterns +trends according the the OCS?

Answer 1

Shows crime = more likely to committed by wc
= proportionally more people of unskilled/ low skilled occupations (or unemployed) than skilled arrested each year + in prison

OCS largely exclude white collar/ corporate crimes which = committed by mc + rc (dark figures of crime)

Question 2

How would the Strain Theory explain why the wc commit are crime?

Answer 2

= more likely to adapt to strain by means of innovation

Others wc may respond by rebelling against goals + means

Question 3

How would the Strain Theory explain why the mc commit crime?

Answer 3

Still experience relative deprivation + want more than they can achieve legitimately
So turn to crime (innovation)
e.g. corporate crime = seen as form of innovation, they seek to bypass laws/ leg to make a profit

Question 4

How would Social Control theories explain why the wc commit crime?
(Hirsch)

Answer 4

Hirsch
All humans suffer from weaknesses + urges to commit crime BUT strong social bonds tie them t conformity

WC experience marginalisation, have weak social bonds, leaving them prone to committing crime

Question 5

How would Social Control theories explain why the mc commit crime?

Answer 5

Commit corporate crime IOT benefit companies they work for

• socialised into business culture of those around them
• conform to self endorsing, aggressive management practises of companies IOT ensure success

Question 6

How would Subcultural Theories explain why the wc commit crime?

Answer 6

Miller: wc youths have different focal concerns

AK Cohen: wc suffer from status frustration, turn to deviant activities IOT achieve status

Cloward + Ohlin: wc = greater access to ‘illegitimate opportunity structure’

Question 7

How do Subcultural theories explain why the mc commit crime?

Answer 7

Nelken (2012)
Evidence from work high finance
Shows subculture of excitement in young men, living life in fast lane - making hard choices + high risk decisions = as important as ££ benefits

= plausible explanation fro some whit collar crime, especially among those who = already rich

Question 8

How would Ecological/ Environmental theories explain why the wc commit crime?

Answer 8

Shaw + McKay
wc = more attracted to ‘zone of transition’
- cheap housing, high population turnover
- leads to social disorganisation, absence of informal social control + higher c+d rates
- deviant values passed down within underclass (cultural transmission)

Question 9

How would Ecological/ Environmental theories explain why the mc commit crime?

Answer 9

mc associate themselves with others that commonly support illegal business practices for personal/ company gain
Therefore more likely to commit crime themselves

Cultures develop in business circles - taking shortcuts, condoning illegal practices IOT make profit
- encourages corporate crime

Question 10

How would the Labelling theory explain why the wc commit crime?

Answer 10

Chambliss: agents of social control operate with stereotypes, wc =more likely to be labelled s criminals/ deviants

Cicourel: negotiated justice, police have discretion, class influences their decision

wc have criminal master status (SFP) + engage in 2ndary deviance

Question 11

How would the Labelling theory explain why the mc commit crime?

Answer 11

mc avoid -ve labelling from moral entrepreneurs (police) due to fact crime = similar to business practices + therefore appear to be less criminal

mc escape conviction; characteristics makes them less likely to be labelled as criminals

Question 12

How would Traditional Marxist theory explain why the wc commit crime?

Answer 12

Gordon:
Crime occurs in all social groups, = rational response to capitalism
BUT rc create laws + CJS selectively enforces them
SO rc crimes aren’t defined as crimes (Box)
wc who = caught + criminalised

Question 13

How would the Traditional Marxist theory explain why the mc commit crime?

Answer 13

Box / Slapper + Tombs

mc corporate crime = driven by criminogenic nature of capitalism
= need to maintain profits, if can’t be done through legal means, illegal means must be used
rc commit considerable amounts of crime but = often ignored/ undetected

Question 14

How would New Criminology explain why the wc commit crime?

Answer 14

rc uses its power to make the wc scapegoats, portrays wc offenders as serious problem (Hall)
Diverst S attention away from larger social issues that cause c (economic + political crisis) that would’ve put rc power in jeopardy

Question 15

How would New Criminology explain why the mc commit crime?

Answer 15

rc uses its power to make the wc scapegoats, portrays wc offenders as serious problem (Hall)
Diverst S attention away from larger social issues that cause c (economic + political crisis) that would’ve put rc power in jeopardy

Question 16

How would Left Realists explain why the wc commit crime?

Answer 16

Lea + Young
wc = more likely to suffer relative deprivation + marginalisation
May lead to formation of subcultures asa response
wc = more likely to be Vs of crime (BCS)

Question 17

How would Left Realists and Right Realists explain why the mc commit crime?

Answer 17

They don’t

Generally ignore mc crime

Question 18

How would Right Realists explain why the wc commit crime?

Answer 18

Underclass = characterised by immediate gratification, low impulse control, lack of respect for discipline etc.
Caused by inadequate socialisation + lack of role models

Wilson + Kelling: ‘broken window thesis’
wc = more likely to live in poorly cared for neighbourhoods, further damage + more anti-social behaviour

Question 19

How would Postmodernists explain why the wc commit crime?

Answer 19

wc commit crime for the pleasure, excitement + thrills deprived from ‘edgework’ + risk taking (Lyng)

Can provide status + ID for those who may lack the means to gain this any other way

Question 20

How would Postmodernists explain why the mc commit crime?

Answer 20

Katz + Lyng
Crime can be seductive
Thrill seeking + risk taking may be the motivation to commit crime rather than simply the material gains it offers

Question 21

Newborn (2007) notes that the sociology of crime ends to focus on the crimes of what class?

Answer 21

Crimes of the powerless rather than of the powerful

= largely because crime stats show the wc = the main offenders

Question 22

What do the explanations of wc crime fail to explain?

Answer 22

Fails to give reasons why not all individuals resolve their problems
Nelken suggests that while the easiest way to rob a bank is to own one, most of those in this position don’t take advantage of it