Criminology Needs More Class: Inequality, Corporate Persons and an Impoversihed Discipline
My presentation at the 2012 American Society of Criminology conference was entitled Criminology Needs More Class: Inequality, Corporate Persons and an Impoverished Discipline (#occupy). It is a condensed and updated version of the Sidore lecture I gave, The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison: Inequality, Corporate Power and Crime.
ABSTRACT:Criminology generally does not collect data on class, which is more likely to be "controlled” for than explained. The discipline is interested in psychopaths engaged in street crime but not white collar crime or the harms done by corporate “persons” who act without conscience. Strain theory is taught without reference to economic facts about wealth distributions or economic mobility. This paper provides an overview of class, reviews some of criminology’s blind spots and reaffirms class as important for a “rich” understanding of criminology.
Criminology Needs More Class: Inequality, Corporate Persons & an Impoverished Discipline
Download .pdf of presentation (3.5mb)
Download .pptx of presentation (6.8mb)
RELATED
Why Inequality Matters for Criminology & Criminal Justice (World Congress of Sociology presentation, 2014)
Manifestations of Poverty (longer presentation for EMU Honors College, 2013)
The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison: Inequality, Corporate Power and Crime(Sidore lecture at Plymouth State, 2012)
« Inequality, Corporate Power and Crime Presentation | Main | The Problems with Private Prisons »