Karl Marx - Criminological Theory - Lecture Slides, Slides of Criminology

Download Karl Marx - Criminological Theory - Lecture Slides and more Slides Criminology in PDF only on Docsity! Karl Marx • Communist Manifesto • Means of production determine the structure of society • Capitalism: • Owners of the means of production (capitalists) • Workers = proletariat, lumpen proletariat Docsity.com Capitalism will Self-Destruct • The laboring class produces goods that exceed the value of their wages (profit) – The owners invest the profit to reduce the workforce (technology) – The workers will no longer be able to afford the goods produced by the owners • Workers, exploited and miserable, revolt Docsity.com Quinney (1980) cont. • Primary goal of capitalists? Maintain Power! – To do this, must trample rights of others – But, also must portray an egalitarian society – Accomplished by controlling media, academics Docsity.com Implications for Law • Capitalists control the definition of crime – Laws protect the capitalists (property, $) – Laws ignore crimes of the capitalists (profiteering) Docsity.com Implications for the Criminal Justice System • CJS is the tool of the capitalists; used to oppress (not protect) the working population – Crimes of the rich treated with kid gloves – Property crimes strictly enforced • “Street crimes” are enforced only in poor neighborhoods The law is a tool of the rich to control the working population – Incarceration to control surplus labor – Crimes against things that might distract the “good worker” Docsity.com