1. Chapter Eight Conflict Theory
Criminology 9th edition
Larry J. Siegel
© 2003 Wadsworth Publishing Co.

2. Schools of Thought CONFLICT Criminologists who view crime as
a function of social
conflict and economic
rivalry are aligned
with a number of
schools of thought,
referred to as:
CONFLICT
CRITICAL
MARXIST
RADICAL

3. The Branches of Social Conflict Theory

4. The goal of social conflict theorists is to explain crime within economic and social contexts and to express the connections among social class, crime and social control. Crime is an outcome of class struggle. Issues of concern to them include:
The role government plays in creating a criminogenic environment.
The relationship of personal or group power in controlling and shaping the criminal law.
The role of bias in the operations of the justice system.
The relationship between a capitalist free-enterprise economy and crime rates.

5. Marxist View of Class PROFITS WAGES Workers Owners of Production
(Capitalist
Bourgeoisie)
Workers
(Proletariat)
PROFITS
WAGES
The Non-Productive
(Lumpen Proletariat)

6. Willem Bonger ( )
It is not the absolute amount of wealth that affects crime but its distribution.
If wealth is unequally distributed and people believe wealth means superiority, then the inferior will be crime-prone.
The economic system will intensify personal disadvantages and will increase propensity to commit crime.
Crime will disappear if society progresses from competitive capitalism, to monopoly capitalism.

7. Dahrendorf’s Unified Conflict Theory of Human Behavior.
Every society is at every point subject to processes of change; social change is everywhere.
Every society displays at every point dissent and conflict; social conflict is everywhere.
Every element in a society
renders a contribution
to its disintegration
and change.
Every society is based on
the coercion of some
of its members by
others.

8. The Social Reality of Crime
The social reality of crime is constructed by the formulation and application of criminal definitions, the development of behavior patterns to
criminal definitions,
and the construction of criminal conceptions.
Richard
Quinney,
1970

9. Questions According to Quinney, what factors
are criminal definitions based on?
What are the “propositions”
of the Social Reality of Crime?

10. Conflict Theory STRENGTHS
Accounts for class differentials in the crime rate. Shows how class conflict influences behavior.
MAJOR PREMISE
Crime is a function of class conflict. The definition of the law is controlled by people who hold social and political power.

11. Would all racial groups be
Questions
Could conflict theory explain the relationship of race/ethnicity and crime as well as class?
If so, in what way?
Would all racial groups be
affected the same?

12. Conflict Theory versus Consensus Theory
Conflict Theory: Criminal law is a weapon utilized by the powerful to maintain dominance. Crime is a means to fight back against those in power.
Consensus Theory: Criminal law reflects the values of the majority which equal a just society. Crime, therefore, violates the rights of others.

13. Marxist Theory MAJOR PREMISE
The capitalist means of production creates class conflict. Crime is a rebellion of the lower class. The criminal justice system is an agent of class warfare.
STRENGTHS
Accounts for the associations between economic structure and crime rates.

14. Questions What is Instrumental Marxism?
What is Integrative-Constitutive Theory?
What is Structural Marxism?

15. Instrumental Marxist Theory
MAJOR PREMISE
Criminals are revolutionaries.
The real crime is sexism, racism,
and profiteering.
STRENGTHS
Broadens the definition of crime
and demystifies or explains
the historical development of law.

16. Structural Marxist Theory
The law is designed to
sustain the capitalist
economic system.
MAJOR PREMISE
Explains the existence of
white-collar crime and business
control laws.
STRENGTHS

17. Critiques of Marxist Criminology
Most theft is for luxury, not survival.
Marxists unfairly neglect the efforts of the capitalist system to regulate itself.
Marxists refuse to address the problems and conflicts that exist in socialist countries.
Marxists fail to explain why some highly capitalist countries, such a Japan, have extremely low crime rates.
Marists are too quick to blame for every human vice without adequate explanation or regard for other social and environmental factors.

18. industrialized societies? What is radical feminism?
Questions
How do you think Marx would respond today about the prosperity enjoyed by the
working class in
industrialized societies?
What is radical feminism?

19. Power Control Theory A Radical Feminist Theory (John Hagan)
Crime and delinquency rates are a function of:
Class Position (Power)
Family Function (Control)
Parents’ work experiences and class position influence the criminality of their children.
In paternalistic families, male siblings exhibit a higher degree of delinquent behavior than their sisters.
In egalitarian families, daughters law-violating behaviors mirror their brothers’.

20. Social Conflict Theories: Deconstructionism (Postmodernists)
MAJOR PREMISE
Language controls the meaning and use of the law.
STRENGTHS
Provides a critical analysis of meaning.

24. What is restorative justice?
Questions
What is restorative justice?
and,
How does restorative justice address social conflict theory and public policy?

25. Social Conflict Theories: Peacemaking – Restorative Justice
MAJOR PREMISE
Peace and humanism can reduce crime;
conflict resolution strategies can work.
STRENGTHS
Offers a new approach to crime control
through mediation.

27. What are victim concerns about restorative justice?
Question
What are victim concerns
about restorative justice?
Give examples.