Social Conflict Theory:

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Chapter 8
Social Conflict Theory Critical Criminology and
Restorative Justice
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Figure 8.1 The Branches of Social Conflict Theory
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Marxist Thought

• Productive Forces and Productive Relations
• Communist Manifesto focused attention on economic
  conditions of a capitalist system
• Productive forces Include technology, energy
  sources, and material resources
• Productive relations Exist among people
  producing goods and services
• Bourgeoisie (capitalists)
• Proletariat (working labor)
• Lumpen proletariat (poor)
• Class denotes a position in relation to others

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Figure 8.2 The The Marxist View of Class
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Marxist Thought

• Surplus Value
• Laboring class produce goods that exceed wages in
  value
• Excess value goes into the hands of capitalists
• Marx suggested workers would emerge into a
  socialist state and own the means of production

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Figure 8.3 Surplus Value
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Marxist Thought

• Marx on Crime
• Suggested a connection between crime and social
  inequality
• Friedrich Engels suggested the brutality of the
  capitalist system turns workers into animal-like
  creatures
• Crime is a function of social demoralization

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Developing a Conflict Based Theory of Crime

• The Contribution of Willem Bonger
• Society is divided into have and have-nots
• Crimes are considered antisocial because they are
  threatening to those who have power
• Bonger suggested the capitalist system is held
  together by force rather than consensus
• Upper class will commit if
• They sense an opportunity of make financial gain
• Their lack of moral sense enables them to violate
  social rules
• Crime and poverty are associated with unequal
  distribution of wealth

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Developing a Conflict Based Theory of Crime

• The Contribution of Ralf Dahrendorf
• Society is organized into imperatively
  coordinated associations Those who possess
  authority for social domination and those who
  lack authority and are dominated
• Every society is subject to change
• Every society displays social conflict
• Every element in society renders a contribution
  to its disintegration and change
• Every society is based on coercion by some of its
  members

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Developing a Conflict Based Theory of Crime

• The Contribution of George Vold
• Adapted conflict theory to criminology
• Laws are created by politically oriented groups
• Laws will be created to hamper and curb the
  interests of some opposition group
• Criminal acts are a consequence of forces
  struggling to control society (conflict)

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Social Conflict Theory

• Conflict theory tries to explain crime within
  economic social contexts and to express
  connections between social class, crime, and
  social control
• Relationship to crime began in the 1960s
• William Chambliss and Robert Seidman suggests the
  justice system protects the rich and powerful
• Richard Quinney argued that crime is a function
  of power relations and an inevitable result of
  social conflict.
• Crime is defined by those in power
• Power refers to the ability of persons and groups
  to determine and control the behavior of others
  and to shape public opinion to meet their
  personal interests

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Social Conflict Theory

• Social Conflict Based Research
• Compare crime rates of various class groupings
• Research suggests a relationship between economic
  conditions and homicides (Pratt/Lowenkamp)
• Courts are more likely to dole out harsh
  punishment to powerless and disenfranchised
  groups
• Unemployed racial minorities are considered
  social dynamite

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CNN Clip - FTAA Protest
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Critical Criminology

• Origins of Critical Conflict Theory
• Influence of British sociologists in 1968 formed
  the National Deviancy Conference (NDC)
• The NDC were critical of positivist criminology
  and the conservative stance
• U.S. scholars were influenced by widespread
  social ferment of the late 1960s and early 1970s
• In 1980s left realism emerged which influenced
  peacemaking criminology
• Critical conflict criminologists are concerned
  with the recent conservative agendas of cutting
  social programs and increased military spending

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Critical Criminology

• Fundamentals of Critical Criminology
• Crime is a function of the capitalist mode of
  production
• The poor (proletariat) engage in street crimes,
  whereas the wealthy (bourgeoisie) are involved in
  acts not defined as crimes (racism, sexism,
  profiteering)
• The rich are insulated from street crimes
• The poor are controlled through incarceration,
  whereas the middle class is diverted from caring
  by the upper classes creating a public fear of
  the lower classes

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Critical Criminology

• Globalization
• Criminals are products of society and economic
  systems
• Critical criminologists are wary of globalization
  and capitalization trends
• Criminologists question the altruism of
  multi-national corporations
• The growing global dominance and reach of the
  free-market capitalist system disproportionately
  benefits the wealthy and powerful
• The increasing vulnerability of indigenous people
• The growing influence and impact of international
  financial institutions (World Bank)
• The non-democratic operation of international
  financial institutions

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Critical Criminology

• Instrumental View
• Views criminal law and the criminal justice
  system as instruments for controlling the poor as
  have-not members of society
• Capitalism serves the interests of the powerful
  and rich, and enables them to impose their
  morality on society
• Marxists consider it essential of demystify
  (unmask) law and justice

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Critical Criminology

• The Structural View
• Disagrees that law and capitalism are
  unidirectional
• Law is designed to keep the capitalist system
  operating efficiently
• Long prison sentences for insider trading is a
  warning to capitalists that they must play by the
  rules

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Critical Criminology

• Research on Critical Criminology
• Marxists suggest that traditional research is
  designed to unmask the weak and powerless
• Critical research tends to be historical and
  analytical, not qualitative and empirical
• Research involves both macro- and micro-level
  issues

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Critical Criminology

• Crime, the Individual, and the State
• Crime and its control are a function of
  capitalism, and the justice system is biased
  against the working class and favors upper-class
  interests
• Critical analysis of the criminal justice system
  is designed to identify the hidden processes that
  control peoples lives
• Subject to analysis is the how the power
  relationships help undermine any benefit the
  lower class receives from sentencing reforms

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Critical Criminology

• Historical Analysis
• How the changes in law correspond to the
  development of the capitalist society
• Another goal is to investigate the development of
  modern police agencies
• Some research has focused on the relationship
  between convict work and capitalism

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Critical Criminology

• Critique of Critical Criminology
• Some argue critical theory rehashes the old
  tradition of helping the underdog
• Some suggest critical theory neglects the
  capitalist system to regulate itself (antitrust
  regulations)
• Critical thinkers are accused of ignoring
  problems and conflicts in socialist countries

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• Left Realism
• Work of John Lea and Jock Young suggests the poor
  are doubly abused by capitalists and by members
  of their own class
• Relative Deprivation equals discontent
  discontent plus lack of political solution equals
  crime
• Ian Taylor contends the world is currently in the
  midst of multiple crisis (job creation, social
  inequality, social fear, political incompetence
  and failure, gender conflict, and family and
  parenting issues)

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• Crime Protection
• Left realists argue crime victims in all classes
  need and deserve protection
• Preemptive deterrence refers to efforts to
  prevent crime through community organization and
  youth involvement
• Left realism has been criticized for legitimizing
  the existing power structure

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• Critical Feminist Theory
• Critical feminists view gender inequality as
  stemming from the unequal power of men and women
  in a capitalist society
• Patriarchal (male dominated) systems devalue the
  work of women
• The exploitation of women produces far more
  surplus value for capitalists than it does for men

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• Patriarchy and Crime
• Critical feminists link criminal behavior
  patterns to gender conflict created by economic
  and social struggles
• Double marginality explains why women commit less
  crime than men
• Crime is the vehicle for men to do gender

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• Exploitation and Criminality
• Sexual victimization of females is a function of
  male socialization
• Exploitation triggers the onset of female
  delinquency such as running away to avoid abuse
• Some critics charge feminist scholars have
  ignored the interests of women of color and
  lesbians

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• How the Justice System Penalizes Women
• Juvenile systems view girls as being sexually
  precocious
• Meda Chesney-Lind suggests female delinquency is
  viewed as being more serious than male
  delinquency
• Females are often sanctioned more harshly than
  males for offense related to inappropriateness

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• Power Control Theory
• John Hagen argues that crime and delinquency are
  a function of 1) class position and 2) family
  functions
• Father assume the role of breadwinners, while
  mothers have menial jobs and are expected to
  control the behavior of daughters
• Dissatisfied girls seek role exit behaviors
  (running away, or suicide)
• In egalitarian families both the husband and
  wife share similar positions of power

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• Evaluating Power Control Theory
• Empirical analysis has been supportive of power
  control theory
• Some critics question its core assumption
• Replicated studies have not found that class and
  power interact to produce delinquency

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• Postmodern Theory
• Semiotics refers to the use of language elements
  as signs or symbols beyond literal meaning
• Deconstructionists analyze communication and
  language in legal codes to determine whether they
  contribute to institutionalized racism or sexism
• Postmodernists contend value-laden language can
  promote inequalities

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Contemporary Forms of Social Conflict Theory

• Peacemaking Criminology
• Main purpose of criminology is to promote a
  peaceful society
• Draws inspiration from religious and
  philosophical teachings
• Punishment encourages criminality rather than
  deterring it (Larry Tifft and Dennis Sullivan)
• Try to find humanist solutions (mediation and
  conflict resolution) to crime and other social
  problems

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Public Policy Implications of Social Conflict
Theory

• Reintegrative Shaming
• John Braithwaite suggests shaming is a powerful
  tool of informal social control
• Bestowing stigma can have a deterrent effect
• To prevent crime society must encourage
  reintegrative shaming

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Public Policy Implications of Social Conflict
Theory

• The Concept of Restorative Justice
• Contends that society needs to hold offenders
  accountable to put right their harms
• Crime is an offense against human relationships
• Victims and the community are central to justice
  processes
• The first priority is to restore the community
• The offender has a personal responsibility to
  victims and to the community for crimes committed
• The offender will develop improved competency and
  understanding as a result of the restorative
  experience

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Public Policy Implications of Social Conflict
Theory

• The Process of Restoration
• The process begins by redefining crime in terms
  of conflict among the offender, the victim, and
  affected constituencies
• Shared community outrage is communicated to the
  offender

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Public Policy Implications of Social Conflict
Theory

• Developing Restoration
• The offender is asked to recognize and accept
  responsibility of their criminal actions
• Commitment to material restitution and symbolic
  reparation (apology)
• Determination of community support an assistance
  for both the victim and offender
• The intended result is to repair injuries
  suffered by the victim and the community while
  reintegrating the offender

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Public Policy Implications of Social Conflict
Theory

• Restoration Programs
• Sentencing circles are a technique used to bring
  offenders, victims, and other community members
  together
• Community Implement dialogue to identify
  problems and develop tactics for elimination
• Schools Restoration for drug/alcohol abuse
• Police Community policing programs
• Courts Diversion programs

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Public Policy Implications of Social Conflict
Theory

• The Challenge of Restorative Justice
• Advocates warn of the uneven exercise of state
  power
• What is considered restorative in one
  subculture may be considered insulting or
  damaging in another
• Balancing the needs of offenders with those of
  the victims