What is the relationship between crime and social class? Learning Objectives: To identify the pattern of crimes according to social class To critically examine the sociological explanations for these patterns of crime

What is the relationship between crime and social class? Lesson Objectives: Grade A/A* - assess the real extent of crimes committed by the working class and upper classes . Grade B – explain the reasons for the crimes of the working classes. Grade C – describe difference between the crimes of the middle/upper classes and those of the working class

I claimed more money back on my expenses Key words White-collar crime – crimes committed by middle class people at work such as tax evasion and fiddling expenses. Corporate crime – crimes committed by businesses to make more profit such as selling unsafe goods.

Crime and social class The typical crimes committed by the working class and the middle/upper classes are different: Typical working class crimes include: shoplifting, burglary and vandalism Middle/upper class crimes include: white-collar crime and corporate crime

Social class and crime Stick the handout into your book As we read through it as a class – highlight key words/points

Are the working class more likely to commit crime than the middle and upper classes? YES Inadequate socialisation: children from working class families may have experienced poor parenting and not been taught the norms and values of society OR their parents may have been criminals themselves and taught them criminal norms and values, thus they are more likely to commit crime The Opportunity Structure: the working class often live in areas with few legal opportunities and high unemployment, the only opportunities available to them might be illegal e.g. drug dealing. So, the working class turn to crime to gain status and money. (e.g. The “Cocaine Kids”)   Relative deprivation: the working class are likely to experience feelings of relative deprivation (they feel unfairly disadvantaged in relation to others – they want the things that others have e.g. mobile phones/laptops – so they turn to crime). Marxist explanation: the working class (or the proletariat) turn to crime because capitalist society places high value on materialism and consumerism. However, the working class cannot afford to buy these things from their wages because the bourgeoisie don’t pay them enough so they turn to crime.

NO Inaccurate statistics: the working class are not more likely to commit crime – the statistics make it look like they are. This is because the typical crimes committed by the working class (e.g. shoplifting, vandalism and burglary) are more likely to be detected and reported to the police than the crimes of the middle and upper classes.   Under-reporting of middle and upper class crimes: the crimes of the middle/upper classes are often not reported to the police. E.g. the white-collar crime of fraud is not reported because businesses fear bad publicity, AND it is more ‘invisible’ in the first place   Bias in the criminal justice system: the law is enforced against the working class – the crimes of the middle and upper class (e.g. corporate crime) are often not convicted and not recorded in the statistics. Marxists would argue that this is because the bourgeoisie create and enforce the laws in society – they make sure that the law focus on the crimes committed by the working class (the proletariat) - E.g. benefit fraud get harsher punishments than tax evasion (which often go unnoticed and unpunished). Also, the working class lacking the economic wealth to hire specialist, private lawyers to defend them in court.

4 and 5 marks exam questions Remember to follow DEEC: 1. Explain what sociologists mean by white-collar crime. (4) 2. Explain what sociologists mean by corporate crime. (4) 3. Describe one crime typically committed by the middle class and explain why this crime is unlikely to appear in the official crime statistics. (5) Remember: for 5 marks, one para to describe (2) and one para to explain (3)

12 marks Q Discuss how far sociologists would agree that working class males are more likely to commit crimes than other people in society. FOR AGAINST Inadequate socialisation

Boredom/opportunity from truancy Macho image Status Frustration Subculture and values Poverty Opportunity