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Summary Crime and society
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- AQA
Aqa a level sociology crime and deviance summary notes for crime and society.
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Status frustration Marxism BeckerMarxists discuss the concept of criminogenic A ‘moral entrepreneur’ is someone who
As a result of being unable to achieve through
capitalism, this means that crime is inevitable attempts to influence our reaction in order to
legitimate means the boys suffer status
in a capitalist society and all social classes are change the law. These are usually journalists,
frustration. They turn to others in the same
situation and form a delinquent subculture with committing crime. politicians or members of the criminal justice
alternative values, rejecting the goals of the system. Moral entrepreneurs begin to
Box
school. influence other people’s opinions, which then
in turn affects the labelling process.
Marxists such as Box claim that the law is
Alternative status hierarchy written by the bourgeoisie and therefore only Cicourel
reflects their interests. This is referred to as
The boys form subcultures, based on their ideological law making.
shared experiences and create new goals that Cicourel claimed that police officers and
are achievable to them, which tend to conflict judges use typifications or stereotypes to
Chambliss influence their judgement of an offender. If
with the middle class culture of the school.
Cohen claimed this results in an 'alternative the offender fits their expectations of a
Chambliss claims that the criminal justice typical criminal, they are more likely to arrest
status hierarchy' as the boys are competing
system disproportionately focuses on the them.
with each other to see who can be the best
actions of the proletariat in order to control
delinquent in the school.
their actions. On the other hand, the Primary deviance
bourgeoisie’s acts are ignored this is known as
Cloward and Ohlin selective law enforcement. Lemert studied the difference between what
Cloward and Ohlin argued not all subcultures he calls ‘primary’ and
respond to their failure in the same way. They False class consciousness ‘secondary’ deviance. This is covered in the
suggested that there were three different forms next module.
of subculture that exist. Marxists argue the law can be useful in
maintaining false class consciousness. At Labelling Theory
1. Criminal subcultures times, the bourgeoisie will allow laws that
seem to help the proletariat such as the Lemert studied the difference between what
Exist mainly in inner-city estates in which a criminal minimum wage and health and safety he calls ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ deviance.
culture is dominant. It is easy for frustrated youths regulations in the workplace.
to learn criminal skills and have the opportunity Primary deviance
to practice their trade. They have criminal role The caring face of capitalism
models to look up to and learn from. Although technically illegal the criminal label
However, Pearce claims these laws are rarely is not attached as people tend to see it as
2. Conflict subcultures enforced and usually benefit the bourgeoisie as ‘primary deviance’. As the criminal label is
a healthy and happy workforce is more not attached, it does not affect the ‘self-
Also emerge in inner-city estates, particularly in productive and obedient, this is referred to as concept’ of the individual and a result no
areas that suffer from a high social turnover. It is the caring face of capitalism. labelling takes place.
difficult for a criminal culture to develop as different
gangs battle with each other for overall control. Secondary deviance
Moral Entrepreneurs
3. Retreatist subcultures Becker argues that the role of moral An act that generates a strong response and
entrepreneurs is significant in our reaction to results in a label being attached to the
Some youths who want to be criminals do not always particular acts. offender. After being labelled, an offender
succeed. These individuals become ‘double
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