Social Class AND Crime PDF

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SHORT LECTURE NOTES ON SOCIAL CLASS AND CRIME...

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SOCIAL CLASS AND CRIME Official statistics show that working-class people are more highly represented among offenders than those from other social classes. For example, 41% of prisoners are from social classes 6, 7 and 8 (19% of the general population) against only 18% of prisoners from social classes 1, 2 or 3 (45% of the general population) (Walmsley et al., 1994). A study of persistent young offenders also found that only 8% were from households whose head was in non-manual employment (Hagell and Newburn, 1994). Working classes DO commit more crime: 

Strain and anomie: Merton (1968) 

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Subcultural explanation: Cohen 

The status frustration that all young people experience is particularly accentuated among working-class youth.

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Cloward and Ohlin (1960): In some working-class neighbourhoods, legitimate opportunities for achieving success are blocked, criminal subcultures may develop alongside an illegitimate opportunity structure.

Control and rational choice theory 

When pondering whether or not to choose crime, potential offenders from poor areas may decide that the benefits of crime outweigh the costs and risks of being caught.

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Murray linked crime to an unemployed workshy underclass, who live in broken communities with high rates of social disorder.

Social deprivation 

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Those living in deprived communities have fewer opportunities to achieve the goals they aspire to. These circumstances push people to ‘innovate’ and find alternative means to reach success goals, such as crime.

There’s a link between the level of crime and poverty which is a possible explanation for the most common offences of property crime

Left realist 

Accept that all classes commit crime but relative deprivation, marginalization and subcultures create high levels of street crime in lower social classes.

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Young’s ‘Bulimic society’ the poorest, most deprived people are desperate for the trappings of our consumer culture but they cannot afford to actively participate in this type of society

Marginality and social exclusion 

In the most disadvantaged communities, there are likely to be the highest levels of marginality and social exclusion, agencies of socialisation and social control are likely

to be less effective in providing the bonds that integrate people into wider mainstream society. 

Exclusion 

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Frustration and alienation 

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Forces some groups to develop alternative economies

Felt by the lower working classes by causing them to develop a culture of risk taking and excitement aggravated by boring work or no work at all

Marxism and Criminogenic Capitalism - Bonger (1916) 

Capitalism is based on greed and selfishness – crime a normal outcome of these values. The poor are driven to commit crime. Crime is primarily the product of unequal power relations and inequality in general.

Working classes DON’T commit more crime: 

Marxist 

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White collar 

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The poorest sections of the working class fit more closely the stereotypes held in police culture of the ‘typical criminal’ and criminal neighborhoods. There is therefore a greater police presence in poorer working-class areas than in middle-class areas

Prejudices of middle-class judges and magistrates 

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Very difficult to prosecute due to problems of who is responsible and who is a victim. Most corporate crime is not dealt with criminally but administratively by external agencies. Only serious cases go to court and often end in a fine

Stereotyping and prejudice: 

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Crimes committed by office workers like fraud are often hidden from public view.

Corporate crime 

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The working class are no more criminals than anyone else, however the law protects the bourgeoisie so the working class become easier to criminalise. The working class get harsher punishments compared with those who commit white collar crimes.

May mean that, when working-class people appear in court, they are more likely to be seen as fitting the stereotype of typical criminals, and they will therefore face a higher risk of being found guilty.

Labelling theory

Believes that the young working class males are negatively labelled by the police and the courts. They are more likely to be seen as criminal and less likely to get away with criminal activity...