CRM 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: White-Collar Crime, False Advertising, Price Fixing
Document Summary
The broad structure of society itself is at fault causes inequality and differential treatment. Through power differentials, and the unequal distribution of wealth, class divisions and conflict are made. Those with power define what is a crime and how criminals will be treated. Marxists study the political economic make up of society. Power is concentrated in the hands of the ruling or capitalist class which exploits the working class. The state is not neutral, but aims to serve capitalism so it criminalizes the non capitalist class. State institutions concentrate on working class crime and not so much on white collar crime. Marxists say crime must be defined more broadly to include the capitalist class. The best way to prevent crime is to spread the wealth of society, and remove inequality and structural pressures. Crimes of control such as police brutality and violation of civil rights. Crimes of government such as war and political assassination.
