3.2 Right Realists On Crime & Deviance

Question 1

What do realist approaches view crime?

Answer 1

As a real rising issue

Question 2

How do realists think we should tackle crime?

Answer 2

With Real practical methods

Question 3

What did Wilson say regarding poverty and crime?

Answer 3

Poverty doesn’t cause crime

Question 4

What evidence does Wilson use to argue that poverty doesn’t cause crime?

Answer 4

Crime is increasing as well as living standards

Question 5

(Against Wilson) what else has increased suggesting that there may be a link between crime and poverty?

Answer 5

The gap between the richest and poorest

Relative deprivation may link to crime

Question 6

Do right realists believe the stats?

Answer 6

Yes

Question 7

What do right realists seek to explain?

Answer 7

Why most crime is committed by young working class men

Question 8

What did Wilson say young men are which makes them more prone to crime?

Answer 8

Temperamentally aggressive

Question 9

Wilson provides what evidence for males being temperamentally aggressive?

Answer 9

Proportion of men in the population dropping, crime rate rising

Question 10

Wilson also says social factors play a role in making young w/c men more prone to crime, how?

Answer 10

Culture of immediate gratification and self expression leads to lack of discipline and self control

Question 11

Hirschi talks about control theory what does he say?

Answer 11

We are all tempted to commit crime but our social bonds stop us

Question 12

Hirschi says social bonds have 4 elements what are these?

Answer 12

The stronger our attachments to school/family
The more we develop commitments
Leading to involvement in family life
Encouraging a belief in conformity

Question 13

Hirschi also says what is a distinguishing feature of offenders?

Answer 13

Lack of control

Question 14

who does murray blame for crime?

Answer 14

the underclass

Question 15

what does murray say the underclass reject?

Answer 15

mainstream norms and values

social control of family and community

Question 16

what does murray say overgenerous welfare benefits allow for?

Answer 16

single mothers

Question 17

(murray) what does murray say about single mothers?

Answer 17

don’t provide discipline and adequate socialisation

lack of a male role model

Question 18

(murray) what happens to the fathers?

Answer 18

don’t have a role within the family

resort to crime and violence in order to prove themselves men

Question 19

(murray) what exists amongst the underclass?

Answer 19

lack of disapproval and social control - don’t care about crime, they expect it

Question 20

what does murray say the solution to crime is?

Answer 20

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

Question 21

what does murray say happens to the boys of single mothers?

Answer 21

lack of socialisation and respect for norms and values more likely to resort to crime

Question 22

Hirschi - the stronger a teens bonds with parents and teachers the less likely they would do what?

Answer 22

Committ crime

Question 23

Rational choice theory says crime is based on what?

Answer 23

A choice of benefits vs risks

Question 24

RCT - of punishments are too lenient there is a low what?

Answer 24

Cost of crime so more people will commit it

Question 25

RCT - to reduce opportunity for crime what needs to be put in place?

Answer 25

Target hardening

Surveillance

Question 26

RCT - criticism - assumes all crimes are rational and what?

Answer 26

About gain

Question 27

RCT - criticism - ignore what types of crime?

Answer 27

Emotionally motivated

Question 28

RCT - criticism - assumes everybody would be what?

Answer 28

Tempted to commit crime

Question 29

What did Wilson and Kelling talk about?

Answer 29

Broken windows

Question 30

Broken windows - if police are in control residents are more likely to do what?

Answer 30

Report crimes and become involved in informal social control

Question 31

Broken windows - of social order is maintained in an area people are less likely to do what?

Answer 31

Commit crime

Question 32

Broken windows - with a lack of informal control what develops?

Answer 32

Criminal culture

Question 33

Broken windows - if a criminal culture develops what is there no point doing?

Answer 33

Policing

They should focus on areas they can help

Question 34

Strengths - right realists provide realistic what?

Answer 34

Solutions to crime e.g. Surveillance

Question 35

Strengths - Hirschi’s evidence - studied how many young people in california?

Answer 35

4000

Question 36

Strength - Hirschi’s evidence - bonds with parents and teachers were more significant than what in variations in delinquency?

Answer 36

Economic factors

Question 37

Weakness - Marxists would say the focus on street crimes ignores what?

Answer 37

Corporate crime

Question 38

Weakness - assume the stats provide a valid what?

Answer 38

Picture of a typical offender

Interactionists would say the stats are socially constructed

Question 39

Weakness - murrays view is deterministic, how?

Answer 39

Assuming boys from single parent underclass families will be inadequately socialised and become criminals

Question 40

Weakness - wilsons solution is to imprison wicked people what is the issue with this?

Answer 40

Little evidence it works

Question 41

Weakness - some sociologists have what issue with using surveillance to create a culture of control?

Answer 41

Threat to civil liberties - privacy

Question 42

Weakness - the focus on bonds and socialisation ignores what?

Answer 42

Other factors such as relative deprivation - study in 196 Chicago neighbourhoods found economic disadvantage underpinned crime

Question 43

Weakness - despite rising living standards what has happened?

Answer 43

The gap between the richest and poorest has widened resulting in relative deprivation