Analysis of Radical Criminology - Essay Example

GED260 CRIMINOLOGY The central tenet of radical criminology is that it is a division of criminology that handles the root cause of a crime (Farrington and Tonry, 2005). It also enables the location of the crimes in the societal classes of our modern communities. It helps us to locate crimes committed in our capitalist markets and in the class structures where inequalities prevail. They occur as a result of the individualism produced by our market. It applies adequately within a societal structure that frustrates the concepts of a legal system (Farrington and Tonry, 2005).

They also operate efficiently to shape and control people’s frustrations and anger using the foundation values of aggressive individualism. This type of criminology is essential in locating crimes within patriarchal schemes where men who are threatened due to their dominance result in violence against women. An example of a situation where this domination was threatened was when women started flooding the labor during the period after the 1st and 2nd world wars (Farrington and Tonry, 2005).

Since the creation of this form of criminology, the causes of criminal acts in the larger society tend to be ignored with the causes of crime within individuals being located. The microstructures that come under investigation in this criminology include institutions such as schools, families and prisons. The belief of radical criminology is that various kinds of crime are uncontrollable through socializing within the family while others are increased through this socialization. It also believes that crimes caused by ineptitude are enabled by family structures that are weak.

The criminologists also face many dangers from the criminal nature of the society. This form of criminology attempts to combine different Marxist ideas. These are ideas such as the societal structures, exploitations in their economies and isolation (Farrington and Tonry, 2005). This form of criminology has been heavily criticized for befriending criminals. It is seen to be fighting against capitalism though it supports the perception that criminals exploit other people using criminal methods (Schmalleger, 1998).

n The concept of radical criminology argues that the functions of the society are controlled by the interests of those ruling and not the community itself. This form of criminology does not also receive the administration’s sponsorship. It has shown a lot of victimization when dealing with crimes across various classes of people within the society. Radical criminology only focuses on issues that affect the politically correct people while it ignores issues affecting women and children (Farrington and Tonry, 2005).

The issues range from their experiences of violence in their homesteads, rape and abuse of their children. This form of criminology also favors those who are economically sound and have political connections . This is because it relies on the judgment and direction of the ruling classes and they can easily be influenced to take sides. Women also tend to believe that the policies of these form of criminology are also biased against women. They suggest that their experiences have long been ignored and women commit less crimes in comparison to their male counterparts.

There are also fears that associations between criminals and the radical criminologists could be formed. This would greatly advance the chances of a criminal walking free after committing heinous crimes (Farrington and Tonry, 2005). Radical criminology does not adequately address the issue of a conflict of interest arising in the course of the rulers performing their duties. It is also deficient in its suggestions about crime being caused only by economic and communal forces. This is not true since crimes have many different causes.

They could also be caused by political forces which this form of criminology does not focus on. References Farrington, D. and Tonry, M. (2005), strategic approaches to crime prevention, building a Safer Society, University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Schmalleger, F. (1998). Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction. Boston: Prentice Hall.