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Summary Sociological Theories of Criminality
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Sociological Theories of Criminality for AC2.3 - Unit 2
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AC 2.3 - Sociological Theories of CriminalityContents
Introduction: ................................................................................................................................ 1
List of Theories: ............................................................................................................................ 1
Key Terms: ................................................................................................................................... 1
Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels - Marxism (c. 1847) ............................................................................ 2
Durkheim & Merton - Functionalist (1893, 1912, 1938) ................................................................... 4
Émile Merton (1898, and 1912) ................................................................................................. 5
Robert K Merton (1938) ............................................................................................................ 6
Introduction:
Sociological theories of criminality believe factors such as class, age, gender, ethnicity and disability all
influence a person’s life.
Whether an individual criminal is related to these social factors and their relationship with society and its
institutions. How society is organised is important. In sociology, social structures are institutions such as
governments, schools, hospitals, and policing. These institutions guide social interactions (norms, rules,
values and morals) and culture hold a society together. The United Kingdom has a set of institutions,
social interactions and culture which keeps our society functioning.
List of Theories:
The key theories in this section are:
Marxism – Karl Marx
Functionalist theory – Durkheim/Merton
Interactionism – Labelling theory
Realism – Right Realism
Key Terms:
Nature: Nature is defined to be all the genes and hereditary factors which influence who we are.
Nurture: All the environmental variables which impact who we are
Deterministic: To make a prediction about future criminal behaviour based upon little evidence. For
example, suggesting that someone will be a criminal because their father and brother are one, or that if
you are poor, you are likely to commit certain crimes.
1
, Reductionistic: Reducing an explanation of criminal behaviour down to one leaving out other
explanations. For example, suggesting that your upbringing is the cause of criminality and not considering
any biological or individual factors.
Objective Data: Objective data is data which has research which cannot be debated, and is not up for
interpretation
Subjective Data: Subjective data is up for interpretation and can be debated.
Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels - Marxism (c. 1847)
Bourgeoisie: The ruling class, who own the means of production.
Proletariat: The working class, who only own their own labour (the ability to work)
Capitalism: The fact that producing and distributing goods are controlled by a small minority of people for
profit (the bourgeoisie). Most people must sell their ability to work in return for a wage or a salary (the
proletariat)
Marxist: Someone who supports the political and economic theories of Karl Marx, they believe that
capitalism is unequal and undemocratic being based on the exploitation of the working class by the
capitalist class.
Marxism in a nutshell state that society is based upon exploitation, in which the ruling class exploit the
working class for labour, in order to make profit. In return they give the working class a wage for their
labour. The ruling class decide what the working classes’ labour is worth.
Claims: Marxists claim that capitalism is the cause of crime, with capitalism encouraging individuals to be
more materialistic consumers, making us want things we don’t need and can’t afford. As well as this we
learn it is acceptable to harm others and the environment in the process of capitalism. Along with this
capitalism encourages individuals to pursue self-interest rather than public duty. Finally, capitalism in its
wake generates massive inequality and poverty and a disadvantaged working class is the cause of crime.
Components: Marxists believe the criminal justice system mainly concerns itself with policing and
punishing the poor, and not the wealthy. The working class are policed more heavily than the ruling class
as a form of social control. Policing and the criminal justice system can also be used to crimina lise the
working class without them having committed any crime.
There have been a variety of theorists who have supported this idea.
- David Gordon
2
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