CRIM1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Social Constructionism, Symbolic Interactionism, White-Collar Crime
Lecture 11: Conflict and Labelling
Conflict theory vs consensus theory perspectives!
Functional conflict theory !
Power conflict theory !
Labelling perspectives !
Consensus vs Conflict Theories
Consensus theorists assume that there are values held in common in a society or that the
dominant values are agreed upon by society’s members.!
Conflict theorists argue there is no consensus of values. Instead interests of the powerful &
wealthy are dominant. Wealth serves those with power to control the state and define values. !
Consensus theorists ask: (how to prevent crime?)
- What are the causes of crime? !
- Why do people get involved in crime? !
-What are the appropriate methods of controlling, reducing, or preventing crime? !
Examples:!
Merton (structural strain)!
Shaw and MacKay (social disorganisation)!
Hirschi (social control) !
Individual level theories!
Conflict theorists ask: (what are the implications to these preventions?) aka more critical
- Who gets to decide what crime is?!
- What is the impact of the methods used to control, reduce or prevent crime? !
-What is the impact of the criminal justice system on particular groups of people?!
-Examples: Becker (labelling)!
-Turk (law as an instrument of control)!
-Spitzer (problem populations)!
Consensus criminologists – particularly positivists!
- Informed by scientific knowledge. “20% of the population is involved in crime.”!
- Is neutral -- it has no perspective or interests. !
Conflict criminologists
- Assume that all knowledge, including scientific knowledge has a point of view – it has its own
agenda. (Try to challenge the statistics.)!
- Want to identify ‘subordinated’ knowledge.!
-E.g., beliefs of minority groups that do not fit into the scientific frame.!
Common themes in Conflict Theories:
1. Crime caused by conflicts between groups with unequal power.!
2. The more powerful group enacts and enforces laws that are in their own self-interests and
adversely affects less powerful groups. (the more powerful group gets to decide the law)!
3. Laws and the enforcement of laws reproduce and amplify social inequalities…upholds current
system. (the way that we enforce law in time reinforces law in society)!
Two categories of Conflict Theories
1. Functional Conflict Theory
We’re equal but we have different perspectives.
Conflict is a source of checks & balances… leads to social change. !
Crime is a result of a disagreement over the definition of law. !
2. Power Conflict Theory
We’re not equal. There are more powerful groups
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Not all groups equally powerful.!
Crime is a result of the ability of powerful groups having the ability to impose the law on
powerless groups. !
FUNCTIONAL CONFLICT THEORY
Group conflict and crime:
Vold argues:!
- Society is heterogeneous. We have our own personal values and personalities. !
- Crime emerges through normal conflict between competing interest groups in society. !
- One group manages for a time to have their interest and values dominate !
- Criminal behaviour= behaviour of minority power group!
What does this sound like??!
Austin Turk: The process of Criminalisation
- Multiple groups in society, some more organised than others. !
- If you are more organised and sophisticated, you’re more likely to avoid the criminal process. !
- Criminalisation will depend less on the behaviour of the criminal and more on the criminal’s
relationship to authority. !
- Crime is simply a label imposed by some individuals on others. !
-No act is inherently criminal. !
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When in criminalisation likely to happen? (Turk)
The process of criminalisation depends on: !
1. How offensive is the act to those in power?!
2. How much power do the enforcers and resisters have?!
3. How likely it is that an action will be taken by those in power?!
———!
If you are more organised and sophisticated, you’re more likely to avoid the criminal process. !
You’re less likely to go through the criminal power if you have almost equal power as the
enforcers.!
There are cultural norms of what you should do, but there are social norms about what is actually
being done. Some behaviour might be ignored because while it’s against the cultural norms, it is
more socially acceptable. !
———!
BUT…
Functional conflict theorists leave unanswered the question of how some groups achieve the
power to impose definition on others. !
Is there a connection between group conflict and the distribution of resources?!
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Consensus theorists assume that there are values held in common in a society or that the dominant values are agreed upon by society"s members. Con ict theorists argue there is no consensus of values. Instead interests of the powerful & wealthy are dominant. Wealth serves those with power to control the state and de ne values. Con ict theorists ask: (what are the implications to these preventions?) aka more critical. Turk (law as an instrument of control) 20% of the population is involved in crime. Is neutral -- it has no perspective or interests. Assume that all knowledge, including scienti c knowledge has a point of view it has its own agenda. (try to challenge the statistics. ) E. g. , beliefs of minority groups that do not t into the scienti c frame. Two categories of con ict theories: functional con ict theory. Con ict is a source of checks & balances leads to social change.
