Final answer:
Followers of the conflict perspective believe criminal laws are designed to protect the interests and power of specific groups, reflecting a conflict between individual and group welfare.
Step-by-step explanation:
Followers of the conflict perspective argue that criminal laws do not exist for our good; rather, they exist to preserve the interests and power of specific groups. This view is rooted in the understanding that there is a natural tension in society between individual interests and group welfare, often leading to the enactment of laws that serve to protect the status quo and the interests of powerful groups rather than the community as a whole.
Various sociological paradigms, including conflict theory, explore how deviance and crime are understood and addressed within societies. Decision makers may consider a multitude of factors, including personal gain or maintaining existing power structures, when formulating criminal laws and justice policies.
This is in contrast to the more utilitarian approaches of rehabilitation, restorative justice, and prevention which aim at reducing crime through transformative and community-based measures.