1. - How do Conflict Theorists
explain crime and deviance?
- Marxist Theorists

2.  Conflict theory is based upon the view
that the fundamental causes of crime
are the social and economic forces
operating within society.
 The criminal justice system aims at
imposing standards of morality and good
behaviour created by the powerful on
the whole of society.
 Thus, street crimes are punished quite
severely, while large scale financial and
business crimes are treated much more
leniently. Q. List some white collar and some
blue collar crimes. Which are punished
more severely?

3.  Assumes that dominant groups in society use
the law as a way of maintaining their dominance
over subordinate groups.
 Those who are white, male, wealthy and
politically connected are the dominant members
of society and those who are poor and a member
of a minority group are the subordinate group.
 These subordinate groups pose a threat and the
dominant groups use the law to keep them from
uprising.
Q. Who are the dominant and subordinate groups in
our society?

4.  Modern capitalist societies were
controlled by a wealthy few
(bourgeoisie) who controlled the
means of production while everyone
else (proletariat) was reduced to the
lot of being wage labourers.
 While Marx himself never addressed
crime, the Marxist theory of crime
(radical criminology) states that
crime occurs due to a class struggle.
Karl Marx (1818-
1883)
Q. What would Marxists
cite as being the main
cause of crime?

5.  Marxist Theorists believe that the values
of Capitalism – Individualism, Competition
and Consumerism – create a society which
doesn’t care enough about one another.
 Frustrations of being on a long income can
create the opportunities to commit crime.
 Stephen Box (1937-1987) argued that the
ruling classes have the power to block laws
that aren’t in their interests.
 Marxists therefore believe that the CJS is
selective and biased.
Q. What are the
merits of this theory?

6.  Accused of being over reliant on class
division to explain offending behaviour
 Doesn’t explain why most people in most
classes do not offend.
 Accused of over- focussing on offenders and
justifying offending behaviour. Ignoring the
victims.
 Suggests little can be done to protect people
from offending short of revolution
 No crime in a socialist country?

7.  Accused of being over reliant on class
division to explain offending behaviour
 Doesn’t explain why most people in most
classes do not offend.
 Accused of over- focussing on offenders
and justifying offending behaviour.
Ignoring the victims.
 Suggests little can be done to protect
people from offending short of revolution
 No crime in a socialist country?