2.3 - Sociological Theories

Question 1

What is right realism?

Answer 1

Individuals are more likely to commit crime when the social constraints on their behaviour are weakened. So crime is linked to inadequate social control.

Question 2

What are the 3 causes of crime according to right realism?

Answer 2

Biology, socialisation, and rational choice

Question 3

What is biology (right realism)?

Answer 3

Some people are more predisposed to commit crime than others. Hormones, personality traits and low intelligence can all lead to aggression. It is also believed that people are naturally selfish, impulsive and greedy.

Question 4

What is socialisation (right realism)?

Answer 4

It reduces the risk of good values norms and self control. The underclass fail to socialise their children properly so the children have limited self control. Absent fathers mean boys look for male role models on the streets and join street gangs.

Question 5

What is rational choice (right realism)?

Answer 5

Crime increases because the benefits outweigh the benefits as criminals view punishment as weak and ineffective.

Question 6

What are the 4 solutions to crime (right realism)?

Answer 6

Situational crime prevention, environmental crime prevention, target hardening and zero tolerance

Question 7

What is the situational crime prevention?

Answer 7

Protects specific targets from potential criminals eg, CCTV in shops

Question 8

What is environmental crime prevention?

Answer 8

Make neighbourhoods more crime resistant eg, more police on streets

Question 9

What is target hardening?

Answer 9

Make sure punishments follow the act as soon as possible

Question 10

What is zero tolerance?

Answer 10

Punish criminals harshly

Question 11

What is left realism?

Answer 11

Inequality is due to capitalism. Believe in gradual change rather than violent overthrow. Looks at crime on an individual level

Question 12

What are the 3 causes of crime (left realism)?

Answer 12

Relative deprivation, marginalisation, and subcultures

Question 13

What is relative deprivation (left realism)?

Answer 13

People are aware of how deprived they are by comparing to others. They commit crime because they feel resentment when it seems that unfairly have more than them eg, shoplifting

Question 14

What is marginalisation (left realism)?

Answer 14

Certain groups find themselves on the edge of society (economically) and turn to crime like vandalism or violence out of frustration

Question 15

What is subcultures (left realism)?

Answer 15

Due to relative deprivation and marginalisation certain people find themselves having their own values so they form deviant subcultures to seek a collective response eg, burglary

Question 16

What are the 3 solutions to crime (left realism)?

Answer 16

Early crime prevention, community based approaches to reducing crime, and improved policing

Question 17

What is early intervention (left realism)?

Answer 17

Perry preschool project - provides young children, living in poverty, with a good education

Question 18

What is community based approaches to reducing crime (left realism)?

Answer 18

Improve facilities for the young, raise standard of living for the poor, reduce unemployment - all help with reducing crime

Question 19

What is improved policing (left realism)?

Answer 19

Public confidence in police has reduced. Public info help police solve crime

Question 20

What is labelling theory?

Answer 20

Crime is the result of labelling - Becker

Question 21

What are the 3 causes of crime (labelling)?

Answer 21

Deviancy amplification, self fulfilling prophecy, and master status

Question 22

What is deviancy amplification (labelling)?

Answer 22

Deviancy and crime can increase due to societal reactions to deviancy itself

Question 23

What is self fulfilling prophecy (labelling)?

Answer 23

Someone’s expectations of someone can lead to them behaving in ways that confirm their expectations

Question 24

Example of labelling theory

Answer 24

Bullingdon club - university of Oxford social club, labelled as future leaders despite open criminality

London riots 2011 - labelled as “yobs” and “hooligans”, handed out extreme punishments for minor crimes

Question 25

What are the structuralist theories?

Answer 25

Functionalism, Marxism, and strain theory

Question 26

What are the interationist theories?

Answer 26

Labelling theory

Question 27

What is strain theory?

Answer 27

Merton - Everyone has the same values eg, American dream. Inequality of opportunity blocks the legitimate means of attaining a goal for poorer backgrounds. All emphasis on end goal.

Question 28

What are the five strategies to facing the strain?

Answer 28

Conformist, Innovators, Ritualism, Retreatism, Rebels

Question 29

What is a conformist?

Answer 29

Accept social norms. Finds legitimate means to achieve goal. Non criminal

Question 30

What is an innovator?

Answer 30

Accept social aims. Can’t find legitimate means to achieve goal. Criminal. Financial gain crimes

Question 31

What is ritualism?

Answer 31

Play by rules. Don’t expect to succeed. Go through motions of life. Non criminal

Question 32

What is retreatism?

Answer 32

Reject social aims. Can be criminal. Squatting and drug use

Question 33

What is a rebel?

Answer 33

Set their own goals. Create their own methods. Criminals. Terrorism