Study On Western Critical Criminology-from The Perspective Of Class

In this article, we introduce and evaluate critical criminology in modern western society from the perspective of class. Relative to traditional mainstream criminology, critical criminology provided its particular and radical opinions on the definition of crime, reasons of crime, functions of criminal law. But because of its radicalness, critical criminology was marginalized, and could not provide advices on the revolution of crime control and criminal law. Merely worrying about the heaven, but has no favorable plan. So there should be a integrative route for traditional mainstream criminology and critical criminology.Traditional mainstream criminology asserted the reasons of crime are because of the flaws on criminals, especially on underclass, that means, the members in underclass are more inclined to crime. Speaking materially, relative to upper class, underclass is in the lower position of society, have no much legal means to achieve their desired, so they often use illegal and criminal means. The living environments of underclass are disgusting. They were born in single-parent families, and could not be educated well, this could hinder their socialization. They could not integrate into mainstream society while they live in slum, and some subcultures were produced in their lives. They admire particular life goals and manner of behavior of their own.Unlike Traditional mainstream criminology, critical criminology asserted we should not look for the reasons of crime on individual criminal, and it is the unequal social and economic systems which produce crime. Affected by the systems, some people are on high status, but others on lower status. Crime is propagated as often occurred on those lower status. Although those high status engage in crime, they would be sheltered intentionally or unintentionally. The criminal law is to protect the interests of those high status, oblige those lower status to accept their realities, and obey those high status.The opinions are really enlighten us much, and it make many concealed problems known to us. But when we face those realities, we don't know how to deal with them next. The significance of critical criminology is to criticize, but could not advice to build. Firstly, they have the same interested problem, so it is possible for their integration. Secondly, it is necessary for them to integrate while contradicting each other is not well for them. At last, we could interpret crime perfectly if we integrate the inner perspective of traditional mainstream criminology and external perspective of critical criminology.