Outline and Evaluate Marxist Theories on Crime - 1431 Words

Outline and assess Marxist explanations of crime and deviance. In looking at the Marxist explanation of crime and deviance one must also look to the non-sociologist explanations and those of other different groups in order to come to an informed view of the subject. The non-sociologist definition of crime and deviance would be that deviance is uncommon behaviour, something that offends the morals or the majority of society, without being harmful or serious enough to be criminal. Whereas a criminal act is an act which causes harm to someone else enough to warrant a decision-maker passing a law which forbids the act. The Marxist theory in general splits society in half, the rich and the poor. With the poor being exploited by†¦show more content†¦They consider the main cause of crime to be groups imposing their definitions on others. According to the social constructionist labelling theory there is not much difference between deviants and non-deviants, the only reason they are labelled deviant is because other people see their behaviour as unusual or abnormal but this theory asks the question who is the deviant. The labelling theory would agree with the Marxist perspective that once people are given labels with certain expectations they will live up to those labels or society will see them according to their labels, for example social class. Functionalist Emile Durkheim argued that crime is necessary to society as it allows boundaries to be re-enforced. Durkheim believed that society is held together by shared economic values, that when a person is arrested for a crime they are clarifying the boundaries of acceptable behaviour and giving society an opportunity to reaffirm these values thus safeguarding a continued social cohesion. Erikson agreed with this theory pointing out the drama of a court room scene and the media involved in a court case again publicising the boundaries as well as condemning the criminal act. Marxists argue that the young, working class or black communities generally commit the type of opportunistic crime publicised in this way. Crime committed by the privileged class has aShow MoreRelatedKarl Marx s Theory Of Crime And Deviance1696 Words   |  7 Pagesand was one of the first to develop and explain a conflict perspective on how society functions, he was a liberal reformist who had more radical views about the origins of crime and deviance. He became popular in the US and UK during the 1970’s. Like many radical criminologists, he developed the perspective of the conflict theory that explained how some social interactions result in to conflict and how individuals engage in conflict daily to gain more social wealth and resources. 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