Sociology Theories of Punishment 2

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Sociology Theories of Punishment (2)

• The Marxist tradition - punishment as an
  instrument of class control

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• Economic system determining all areas of social
  life
• Law punishment reflect interests of dominant
  groups one law for rich
• Class struggle
• Rusche and Kirchheimer Punishment and Social
  Structure (1939) link between economy/ labour
  market and punishment
• Severity and form of punishment related to value
  of labour

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• Every system of production tends to discover
  punishments which correspond to its productive
  relationships
• Role of Ideology

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Comments / critique

• Understating importance of political/ ideological
  factors
• Ignoring popular attitudes to punishment
• Durkheim punishment reflecting interests of
  society as a whole
• Marxist punishment as expressing class interests

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