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Summary plan/how to answer- assess explanations for crime rate being higher among lower classes
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Plan- assess explanations for crime rates being higher among the lower classes (40)Introduction Lower class- social groups with the lowest wealth
and status in society
For Merton (functionalism) Strain theory- crime higher
among working classes because they have less
opportunities to achieve material success through
legitimate means. More likely to adopt innovative
cultural responses in order to achieve material
success through criminal means (e.g., burglary, drug
dealing)
Against Gordon (Marxist)- capitalist societies are ‘dog eat
dog societies’ – encouraging pursuit of profit where
it seems acceptable to harm others and the
environment. All classes commit crime, and the
crimes of the elite are more harmful than street
crime, but less likely to be punished
For Murray (New Right)- argued that changes to family
structure was responsible for much of the increase
in crime in the 1970’s and 80’s. a growing underclass
have deviant behaviour and fail to socialise their
children properly. Children of the underclass fail to
learn self-control and also fail to learn the diff
between right and wrong.
Against Cicourel (Social Action)- middle class parents are
more able to present themselves as respectable and
reasonable people from a nice neighbourhood and
co-operate fully with the officers, assuring them that
their child is truly remorseful. Middle class
delinquent is more likely to be defined as ill rather
than criminal
For Lea and Young (left realist) relative deprivation-
although people are better off today they have a
greater feeling of relative deprivation because of the
media and advertising (further fuels the spread of
lower class hate) (Price- Poverty Porn)
against Cohen (subcultural) status frustration- argued
working class boys strove to emulate middle class
values and aspirations but lacked the means to
achieve success. Led to a sense of personal failure
and inadequacy, resolved this frustration by
rejecting socially acceptable behaviour.
For Braverman-middle class workers have been de-
skilled and are in fact becoming the proletariat
(crime comes as a result of outrage/revenge)
Against Snider (Marxist)- points out that the cost of white-
collar crime and corporate crime to the economy far
outweighs the cost of street crime by ‘typical
criminals’
Conclusion Whilst there is crime in the lower classes, this is
because upper class crime gets ignored, paid off and
excused
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