Power and Conflict as Causes of Crime

Power and conflict as causes of crime

Causes of crime can also be found in different kinds of conflicts and power struggles between different groups of people. For example, this may involve conflicts between different cultures, conflicts between the established layers of society and those who are pushed down by the more privileged group, or conflicts between different groups such as men and women.

According to these theories, crime is about a person breaking the rules and norms of established society because they follow other cultural norms. For example, a person may try to uphold their family's honor and thereby act against Swedish law on forced marriage. Those who have power have the interpretive privilege to decide which behaviors are criminal and which are not. Reprimands are therefore directed toward selected groups that are not part of the establishment. These theories were strongly influenced by the radical left during the 1960s and 1970s, and they direct criticism toward society as a whole and toward the discipline itself.