3.2 Right Realists On Crime & Deviance Flashcards
What do realist approaches view crime?
As a real rising issue
How do realists think we should tackle crime?
With Real practical methods
What did Wilson say regarding poverty and crime?
Poverty doesn’t cause crime
What evidence does Wilson use to argue that poverty doesn’t cause crime?
Crime is increasing as well as living standards
(Against Wilson) what else has increased suggesting that there may be a link between crime and poverty?
The gap between the richest and poorest
Relative deprivation may link to crime
Do right realists believe the stats?
Yes
What do right realists seek to explain?
Why most crime is committed by young working class men
What did Wilson say young men are which makes them more prone to crime?
Temperamentally aggressive
Wilson provides what evidence for males being temperamentally aggressive?
Proportion of men in the population dropping, crime rate rising
Wilson also says social factors play a role in making young w/c men more prone to crime, how?
Culture of immediate gratification and self expression leads to lack of discipline and self control
Hirschi talks about control theory what does he say?
We are all tempted to commit crime but our social bonds stop us
Hirschi says social bonds have 4 elements what are these?
The stronger our attachments to school/family
The more we develop commitments
Leading to involvement in family life
Encouraging a belief in conformity
Hirschi also says what is a distinguishing feature of offenders?
Lack of control
who does murray blame for crime?
the underclass
what does murray say the underclass reject?
mainstream norms and values
social control of family and community
what does murray say overgenerous welfare benefits allow for?
single mothers
(murray) what does murray say about single mothers?
don’t provide discipline and adequate socialisation
lack of a male role model
(murray) what happens to the fathers?
don’t have a role within the family
resort to crime and violence in order to prove themselves men
(murray) what exists amongst the underclass?
lack of disapproval and social control - don’t care about crime, they expect it
what does murray say the solution to crime is?
reducing welfare benefits
mothers have to turn to husbands as a breadwinner
fathers remain in their role providing discipline and a male role model for their kids
what does murray say happens to the boys of single mothers?
lack of socialisation and respect for norms and values more likely to resort to crime
Hirschi - the stronger a teens bonds with parents and teachers the less likely they would do what?
Committ crime
Rational choice theory says crime is based on what?
A choice of benefits vs risks
RCT - of punishments are too lenient there is a low what?
Cost of crime so more people will commit it
RCT - to reduce opportunity for crime what needs to be put in place?
Target hardening
Surveillance
RCT - criticism - assumes all crimes are rational and what?
About gain
RCT - criticism - ignore what types of crime?
Emotionally motivated
RCT - criticism - assumes everybody would be what?
Tempted to commit crime
What did Wilson and Kelling talk about?
Broken windows
Broken windows - if police are in control residents are more likely to do what?
Report crimes and become involved in informal social control
Broken windows - of social order is maintained in an area people are less likely to do what?
Commit crime
Broken windows - with a lack of informal control what develops?
Criminal culture
Broken windows - if a criminal culture develops what is there no point doing?
Policing
They should focus on areas they can help
Strengths - right realists provide realistic what?
Solutions to crime e.g. Surveillance
Strengths - Hirschi’s evidence - studied how many young people in california?
4000
Strength - Hirschi’s evidence - bonds with parents and teachers were more significant than what in variations in delinquency?
Economic factors
Weakness - Marxists would say the focus on street crimes ignores what?
Corporate crime
Weakness - assume the stats provide a valid what?
Picture of a typical offender
Interactionists would say the stats are socially constructed
Weakness - murrays view is deterministic, how?
Assuming boys from single parent underclass families will be inadequately socialised and become criminals
Weakness - wilsons solution is to imprison wicked people what is the issue with this?
Little evidence it works
Weakness - some sociologists have what issue with using surveillance to create a culture of control?
Threat to civil liberties - privacy
Weakness - the focus on bonds and socialisation ignores what?
Other factors such as relative deprivation - study in 196 Chicago neighbourhoods found economic disadvantage underpinned crime
Weakness - despite rising living standards what has happened?
The gap between the richest and poorest has widened resulting in relative deprivation
