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Conflict and radical theoryConflict and radical theory

Explaining crimeExplaining crime

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Culture deviance theoryCulture deviance theory

People in poverty cope by creating People in poverty cope by creating an independent subculture with its an independent subculture with its own set of rules and valuesown set of rules and values

Middle class: hard work, delayed Middle class: hard work, delayed gratification, formal education, gratification, formal education, cautioncaution

Lower class (Miller) argued that there Lower class (Miller) argued that there are different rules on the streetare different rules on the street

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Miller (cont)Miller (cont)

Those who follow the street rules Those who follow the street rules of lower class life find themselves of lower class life find themselves in conflict with the dominant in conflict with the dominant middle class culturemiddle class culture

Focal concerns in street culture Focal concerns in street culture (not a rebellion--evolved to deal (not a rebellion--evolved to deal with conditions in slums) Miller with conditions in slums) Miller identified six such concernsidentified six such concerns

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Focal concernsFocal concerns

1. Trouble: involvement in fighting, 1. Trouble: involvement in fighting, drinking, etc.drinking, etc.

2. Toughness: strength, fighting 2. Toughness: strength, fighting ability, athletic skillability, athletic skill

3. Smartness: being street-wise, able 3. Smartness: being street-wise, able to outcon othersto outcon others

4. Excitement--search for fun to 4. Excitement--search for fun to enliven a drab life--gambling, fighting, enliven a drab life--gambling, fighting, drinkingdrinking

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Focal concernsFocal concerns

5. Fate: what happens is fate, luck5. Fate: what happens is fate, luck 6. Autonomy: personal freedom, 6. Autonomy: personal freedom,

resistance against controlled resistance against controlled environments, such as schools, CJS, environments, such as schools, CJS, etc.etc.

These concerns put people at odds These concerns put people at odds with those of the larger culture, and with those of the larger culture, and make them more likely to get into make them more likely to get into troubletrouble

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Conflict theoryConflict theory

Crime is a function of conflictCrime is a function of conflict The more conflict in a society, the The more conflict in a society, the

more crimemore crime Societies with little conflict, little crimeSocieties with little conflict, little crime Sellin and culture conflict theorySellin and culture conflict theory Primary culture conflict: two cultures Primary culture conflict: two cultures

come into conflict. Less dominant come into conflict. Less dominant culture will have the higher crime rateculture will have the higher crime rate

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Culture conflictCulture conflict

Examples can be seen worldwide Examples can be seen worldwide Secondary culture conflict: a Secondary culture conflict: a

subculture within a society is at subculture within a society is at odds with the dominant cultureodds with the dominant culture

According to conflict theorists, According to conflict theorists, conflict might be over money and conflict might be over money and other material goods, power, or other material goods, power, or how a particular issue is decidedhow a particular issue is decided

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Conflict (cont)Conflict (cont)

Societies may have a variety of groups, Societies may have a variety of groups, all competing for different goals and all competing for different goals and prizesprizes

These groups are dynamic, and changeThese groups are dynamic, and change Sometimes groups might come Sometimes groups might come

together over a particular issuetogether over a particular issue Even a powerless group might obtain Even a powerless group might obtain

power by banding togetherpower by banding together

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Conflict (cont)Conflict (cont)

Generally, there are likely to be Generally, there are likely to be some groups that consistently some groups that consistently have more power than othershave more power than others

They determine the laws, and They determine the laws, and carry them out; different groups carry them out; different groups may be treated differentlymay be treated differently

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Radical and Marxian Radical and Marxian theorytheory MarxMarx Dialectic: thesis, antithesis, synthesisDialectic: thesis, antithesis, synthesis Change due to conflict of competing Change due to conflict of competing

economic systemseconomic systems History is a succession of economic History is a succession of economic

arrangements, as the weak struggle arrangements, as the weak struggle against exploitation by the powerfulagainst exploitation by the powerful

Succession of ever-improving systemsSuccession of ever-improving systems

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Marx (continued)Marx (continued)

Progress is attained by the rise and Progress is attained by the rise and fall of economic systemsfall of economic systems

Major epochs in history: Major epochs in history: 1. ancient slave1. ancient slave 2. feudalism2. feudalism 3. capitalism3. capitalism 4. socialism4. socialism 5. communism5. communism

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Marx (cont)Marx (cont)

All economic orders have been All economic orders have been characterized by the class strugglecharacterized by the class struggle

Class is the great dividerClass is the great divider The ruling class owns everything and The ruling class owns everything and

forces workers into exploitationforces workers into exploitation Capitalism overthrew feudalism, Capitalism overthrew feudalism,

provided goods to more people, and provided goods to more people, and instituted constitutional governmentinstituted constitutional government

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Marx (cont)Marx (cont)

However, the workers are still However, the workers are still exploited, paid a fraction of their worthexploited, paid a fraction of their worth

19th century working conditions, child 19th century working conditions, child laborlabor

Marx believed that the workers would Marx believed that the workers would rise up, take over the means of rise up, take over the means of production. Capitalism will be replaced production. Capitalism will be replaced by socialism, and then by communismby socialism, and then by communism

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Marx (cont)Marx (cont)

When the means of production are no When the means of production are no longer owned by individuals, the class longer owned by individuals, the class struggle will cease. struggle will cease.

The state will wither away. “From The state will wither away. “From each according to his ability, to each each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”according to his need.”

Marx thought that crime was a Marx thought that crime was a function of the economic system--function of the economic system--capitalismcapitalism

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Marx continuedMarx continued

Modern capitalist societies involved a Modern capitalist societies involved a perpetual class struggleperpetual class struggle

Ruling class determines what is a Ruling class determines what is a crime, based on their own self-crime, based on their own self-interests, and create the CJS to interests, and create the CJS to support it.support it.

They create social conditions which They create social conditions which create criminals out of the working create criminals out of the working classclass

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Marx (cont)Marx (cont)

When people are freed from the When people are freed from the class struggle, people will become class struggle, people will become cooperative, and the result will be cooperative, and the result will be a crime-free societya crime-free society

People are inherently good, there People are inherently good, there will be little or no crime in a will be little or no crime in a communist societycommunist society

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Modern radical theorists Modern radical theorists (Quinney)(Quinney) Marx’s predictions did not all turn out Marx’s predictions did not all turn out

as expectedas expected Revolutions occurred in feudalistic Revolutions occurred in feudalistic

societies such as Russia and China, societies such as Russia and China, rather than Germany and Great rather than Germany and Great Britain. The revolutions did not take Britain. The revolutions did not take place in western Europe or the U.S.place in western Europe or the U.S.

Radical theorists attempted to explainRadical theorists attempted to explain

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RadicalRadical

American society is based on an American society is based on an advanced capitalist economyadvanced capitalist economy

Very large middle class involved in Very large middle class involved in service occupationservice occupation

a shrinking manufacturing and a shrinking manufacturing and agricultural baseagricultural base

a small group of private ownersa small group of private owners

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RadicalRadical

These changes, particularly the These changes, particularly the increasing size of the middle class, increasing size of the middle class, helped to prevent revolutionhelped to prevent revolution

The state is still organized to serve The state is still organized to serve the interests of the ruling class, the interests of the ruling class, and the CJS represents ruling class and the CJS represents ruling class interests in preserving domestic interests in preserving domestic orderorder

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Radical (cont)Radical (cont)

Advanced capitalism requires that the Advanced capitalism requires that the lower classes remain oppressed by lower classes remain oppressed by whatever means necessary, especially whatever means necessary, especially through the coercion and violence of through the coercion and violence of the legal systemthe legal system

Capitalism will collapse--the workers Capitalism will collapse--the workers are still oppressed. Furthermore, the are still oppressed. Furthermore, the middle class becomes more middle class becomes more sophisticatedsophisticated

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Radical (continued)Radical (continued)

Only when capitalism is replaced Only when capitalism is replaced by socialism, will there be a by socialism, will there be a solution to the crime problemsolution to the crime problem

Criminologists are merely servants Criminologists are merely servants to capitalism, reinforce its valuesto capitalism, reinforce its values

Criminologists should develop a Criminologists should develop a political movement to promote political movement to promote revolutionrevolution

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Radical--commentsRadical--comments

Methodological rigor is lacking. It Methodological rigor is lacking. It is the case, however, that they is the case, however, that they have pointed out that a very small have pointed out that a very small number of people are number of people are disproportionately wealthydisproportionately wealthy

Socialistic countries have crime Socialistic countries have crime problemsproblems

““Nature of man” issueNature of man” issue

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Economy and crimeEconomy and crime

Economics: study of production, Economics: study of production, distribution, exchange and distribution, exchange and consumption of goodsconsumption of goods

Occupies a major portion of human Occupies a major portion of human activitiesactivities

Economy and crimeEconomy and crime

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Economy: Methodological Economy: Methodological ProblemsProblems Two types of studiesTwo types of studies Cross-sectional--different economies, Cross-sectional--different economies,

same timesame time Longitudinal--one economy over timeLongitudinal--one economy over time ProblemsProblems 1. Data are not always accurate (UCR, 1. Data are not always accurate (UCR,

economic indices--unemployment)economic indices--unemployment)

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Methological (cont)Methological (cont)

2. Correlational studies: economy 2. Correlational studies: economy might alter crime rate, but also might alter crime rate, but also vice versa, or the economy and vice versa, or the economy and crime may be affected by other crime may be affected by other factors. Cannot do an experimentfactors. Cannot do an experiment

3. Time lag--how long does it take 3. Time lag--how long does it take an economic event to affect crime?an economic event to affect crime?

4. Poverty is subjective4. Poverty is subjective

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Hypotheses about Hypotheses about economyeconomy 1. Declining economy (poverty, need) 1. Declining economy (poverty, need)

hypothesis: as the economy gets hypothesis: as the economy gets worse, the crime rate will increaseworse, the crime rate will increase

Lack of legimate job opportunities Lack of legimate job opportunities drives people to crime (strain)drives people to crime (strain)

Capitalism encourages greed, and the Capitalism encourages greed, and the CJS criminalizes the greed of the poor CJS criminalizes the greed of the poor (Marxist/radical)(Marxist/radical)

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Hypotheses (cont)Hypotheses (cont)

2. As the economy gets better, the 2. As the economy gets better, the crime rate will increasecrime rate will increase

When people are more affluent, When people are more affluent, there is more worth stealing, more there is more worth stealing, more temptations (i.e., auto theft)temptations (i.e., auto theft)

With affluence, there are more With affluence, there are more criminal opportunities (drugs, criminal opportunities (drugs, gambling, etc.)gambling, etc.)

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Hypotheses (cont)Hypotheses (cont)

3. Relative deprivation: Perceived 3. Relative deprivation: Perceived economic inequality affects crime rate. economic inequality affects crime rate. People perceive inequality, feel unfairly People perceive inequality, feel unfairly treated, resentment and frustration, treated, resentment and frustration, aggression and crime (envy hypothesis)aggression and crime (envy hypothesis)

Outgrowth of reference group (or social Outgrowth of reference group (or social comparison) theory. Satisfaction comparison) theory. Satisfaction depends on who one compares onself depends on who one compares onself with--effects of televisionwith--effects of television

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Hypotheses (cont)Hypotheses (cont)

4. Common cause hypothesis: 4. Common cause hypothesis: Unemployment and crime are Unemployment and crime are caused by common factorscaused by common factors

Impulsivity, low verbal intelligence, Impulsivity, low verbal intelligence, sensation-seeking, dropping out sensation-seeking, dropping out (drop-outs two times as likely to be (drop-outs two times as likely to be unemployed)unemployed)

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Hypotheses (cont)Hypotheses (cont)

5. Crime may cause 5. Crime may cause unemployment: if crime pays, unemployment: if crime pays, people may become unemployedpeople may become unemployed

6. No relationship6. No relationship

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Research on need Research on need hypothesishypothesis TARP project: provided money to TARP project: provided money to

paroleesparolees no effect on recidivism of young malesno effect on recidivism of young males Less recidivism among older males and Less recidivism among older males and

those with familiesthose with families Manpower project: added training. Manpower project: added training.

Again, effective with older males, and Again, effective with older males, and with femaleswith females

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Income inequalityIncome inequality

GINI IndexGINI Index Measure of Income disparityMeasure of Income disparity Ranges from 0 to 1Ranges from 0 to 1 0 would indicate that everyone had 0 would indicate that everyone had

the same amountthe same amount Lower coefficient indicates a Lower coefficient indicates a

higher level of economic equalityhigher level of economic equality

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GINIGINI

Denmark: 24.7, Japan 24.9Denmark: 24.7, Japan 24.9 Russia 31, Canada 33, UK and Italy Russia 31, Canada 33, UK and Italy 3636 U.S. ranks 92U.S. ranks 92ndnd out of 124 nations, out of 124 nations,

with 46.6, more income inequalitywith 46.6, more income inequality All of the nations higher than this All of the nations higher than this

are 3are 3rdrd world countries world countries

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Income inequalityIncome inequality

Highest are Sierra Leone, Highest are Sierra Leone, Botswana, Lesotho (around 63), Botswana, Lesotho (around 63), Namibia the highest with 70.7Namibia the highest with 70.7

GINI index highly correlated with GINI index highly correlated with homicide rates—higher GINI index, homicide rates—higher GINI index, higher homicide rateshigher homicide rates