CHAPTER 7
SOCIAL CONFLICT THEORY
Consensus Model:
Members of society agree upon what is right and wrong and that the laws are
a codification of those values. Laws are for the general good of society
Conflict Model:
There are a number of diverse groups who are constantly vying for power
and these groups use the criminal justice
system to get their way. Laws are no a reflection of the
values or what is good for society but are defined by those in power
for their benefit.
A) Labeling Theory:
Frank Tannenbaum (1938) "Tagging"
Howard Becker (1963) "The Outsiders":
PREMISE: youths are locked into a delinquent career when
their behavior is labeled by agents of the justice system and they reorganize
their identities around a deviant role.
Applying labels
1967 Presidents Commission on Law Enforcement and the
Administration of Justice declared
Federal Government Policy on Labeling:
- de-institutionalization.
- using non-intervention
- terminology
Effect of Labeling:
Labeling Steps:
1. Initial Delinquent Act
2. Detection by justice system
3. Decision to label
4. Creation of new identity
5. Acceptance of their labels
6. Deviance Amplification
Evaluation of Labeling Theory:
B) Conflict Theory
1. Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Friedreich Engels Communist Manifesto.
Capitalism: is a type of economic system based on private ownership and
control over the means of production within a free market economy.
- Bourgeoisie: those who own
the tool and materials for production--
- proletariat: working class
people who owned no capital at all and must earn their
keep by selling their labor to the bourgeoisie.
- petit bourgeoisie:
middle class
Marx views on Crime:
2. MODERN
CONFLICT THEORY:
Those who have power
(the ability of persons and groups to determine and control the
behavior of others) define what crime is and therefore crime is culturally
relative and not guided by any absolute as what is right and
wrong. The laws are designed to keep the lower classes
in their place.
Evaluation of Conflict
Theory:
- Irresponsible?
- weak relationship
between class and crime
- Studies of the criminal
justice process have not found indicators of class or race bias.
- Crime rates are not
necessarily reduced when the economic system of a country is transformed
to a more socialistic system.
3. Radical
(Marxist Criminology)
A. Instrumental
Marxism:
Criminal
law and CJ system are instruments of capitalists to keep control of the poor
and have-nots of society.
demystification
B. Structural Marxism:
The law is designed to keep the capitalist system running efficiently
and effectively.
Research on Marxist Criminology: rely on historical and analytical methods
rather than quantitative and empirical