Lecture notes
Social class and crime
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Class notes on how social class links to crimes
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Social Class & CrimeThe working-classes are highly represented in the crime statistics
compared to the middle-classes. Some of the explanations have
been explored as part of other topics within this crime and
deviance unit and therefore you should be familiar with them.
Labelling Theory (Becker)
this refers to a theory of social behaviour which states that the
behaviour of human beings is influenced significantly by the way
other members in society label them.
According to this theory, individuals who are labelled as criminals
by society, may be more likely to engage in criminal activities.
Folk devils and moral panics (Cohen
1972)
Folk devil is person or group of people who are portrayed in the
media as outsiders and deviant, and who are blamed for crimes or
other sorts of social problems.
A moral panic is a feeling of fear which is spread among many
people that some evil threatens the well-being of society.
Rational Choice Theory
Rational choice theory can be linked to right realist theories of
crime in that it argues that the working class really do commit
more crime than the middle classes. This is because they are
thinking rationally and weighing up the costs vs rewards – they
are thinking rationally and making the decision to turn to crime.
Less informal social control
This theory focuses on how working-class individuals are
controlled less well by institutions such as the family, education
and peer groups.
White collar crime
White-collar crime is a non-violent crime where the primary
motive is typically financial in nature. White collar criminals
usually occupy a professional position of power and prestige, and
one that commands well above average compensation.
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