4. Realist Theories Flashcards
What all realists have in common
- Argue that there has been a significant rise in the crime rate - especially in street crime, burglary and assault.
- Are concerned about the widespread fear of crime and about the impact of crime on its victims.
- Argue that other theories have failed to offer realistic solutions to the problem of crime and they propose what they regard as practical policies to reduce it.
Right Realism
- Right realists views on crime correspond closely with those of neo-conservative governments during the 1970s and 1980s
- They accept a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to the excuses and causes of criminal behaviour and were very influential in shaping conservative government policies under Margaret Thatcher and also under Ronald Reagan in the 1980s
- This has led to a shift in official thinking, away from the search for the causes of crime and towards a search for practical crime control measures
RR - Reasons for crime - Wilson and Hernstein (1985)
Biology - Wilson and Hernstein (1985) - suggest some men are more predisposed to criminal behaviour as they possess higher degree of personality traits such as aggressiveness and risk-taking, impulsiveness and seeking excitement type behaviours.
RR - Reasons for crime - The underclass and socialisation
The underclass and socialisation - right realists believe the nuclear family is the best agency of socialisation to learn the correct law-abiding laws and norms of behaviour.
Murray (1990) argues that nuclear family is being eroded by the welfare state, which is encouraging the rise of an underclass. This consists of a subculture of single ‘fatherless’ parents dependent on the welfare system, where children are inadequately controlled as they lack a male and authority figures to socialise them in the correct manner, which can often lead to anti-social and criminal behaviour
RR - Reasons for crime - Rational choice theory
Rational choice theory - Wilson (1975) - argues individuals have free-will and therefore ‘freely’ choose whether to commit crime or not. Deciding whether to commit a crime is based on rational and calculated reasoning; a cost-benefit analysis before on action is taken.
If the benefits (e.g., theft) outweigh the cost (prison), then individuals are more likely to commit a crime.
Wilson suggests the high level of crime is due to the low perceived cost (risk) of being prosecuted, especially amongst juvenile offenders, who see the CJS as ‘lenient’
RR - Tackling crime - 1. Environmental crime prevention and the ‘broken window’ thesis
- Wilson and Kelling’s (1982) ‘Broken Windows’ theory addresses visible signs of damage or decay to a neighbourhood
Low-level disorder (e.g., litter, broken windows) must be tackled quickly (‘mending the broken windows’) or else the problems in the area will quickly escalate and increase the level of criminal activity
Wilson suggested to prevent deterioration of social cohesion and the sense of community and to keep neighbourhoods safe, it was necessary to keep environments in good physical condition and that the police should have a policy of zero tolerance - cracking down on all anti-social and criminal behaviour which threated social order, even if it wasn’t strictly illegal
RR - Tackling crime - 2. SCP (Situational Crime Prevention): reducing opportunities for crime
Clarke (1992) - emphasises that SCP is concerned with preventing crime in particular locations, aiming to make crime a less attractive choice for offenders, rather than eliminating crime through the improvement of society or threat of punishment
This is achieved by ‘designing out crime’ such as use of anti-climb paint, CCTV, locks, alarms
‘Hostile architecture’ such as Sloping surfaces to deter both sleeping and skateboarding, ‘anti-homeless spikes’ to deter rough sleeps etc.
Cornish and Clarke (2003) - suggested this could be further reinforced by putting up notices warning people of surveillance and of the rules operating in the area which would remove excuses and encourages people to regulate their behaviour - or face consequences
RR - Tackling crime - 3. Increased social control
Focus is on tighter family and community control and socialisation to promote conformity and isolate deviant individuals through community pressure
Also suggests that it is possible to predict crime and therefore prevent it by identifying those from ‘at risk’ backgrounds, such as young people in deprived communities facing familiar breakdowns, drug use or exclusion
Policies following from this include:
- Adopting zero-tolerance policing (‘broken windows thesis’) which involves taking steps against all crime
- Supervision of offenders (e.g., electronic tagging, curfew orders to restrict and monitor their movements)
- Schemes like neighbourhood watch - helps to build community controls over crime through informal surveillance and ‘good neighbourliness’
RR - Criticisms
- Ignores poverty
- Rational choice theory does not explain non-utilitarian crime
- Rational actors freely choosing to be criminals is in conflict with the views that some are biologically pre-disposed to crime
- Zero tolerance focuses on petty crime/street crime more than corporate crime
- Zero tolerance often leads to displacement
Left Realism
Left Realism developed during the 1980s and 1990s and see society as an unequal capitalist one
Left Realists are reformist: they believe in gradual charge than the violent overthrow of capitalism as the way to achieve greater equality
Believe we need explanations of crime that will lead to practical strategies for reducing it now, rather than waiting for a revolution and a classless society to abolish crime
LR - Reasons for Crime - Relative deprivation
individuals may perceive themselves to be more deprived in relation to others. In modern societies, advertisers the importance of economic success and a m/c lifestyle and consumption. When opportunities to achieve them legitimately are limited pressure towards criminality will be strong and deviance may occur.
LR - Reasons for Crime - Marginalisation
marginal groups are those who lack goals in life and organisations to represent their interests - a sense of powerless (e.g., lower w/c youths, unemployed)
Lea and Young argue marginal groups in society are particularly prone to the use of violence and riots as a means of expressing their frustration. However, left realists stress marginalisation is not, in itself, a direct cause of crime
LR - Reasons for Crime - Subculture
subcultures emerge as a response to marginalisation and relative deprivation. Some subcultural groups turn to crime and deviance as a solution to material deprivation. However, not all subcultural groups turn to crime - some turn to religion to find comfort, which may encourage conformity to society’s values and norms
LR - Tackling Crime - 1. Building community cohesion and strong communities
Building community cohesion and strong communities, enabling them to develop more informal controls over behaviour, and to work out local solutions to local crime problems.
LR - Tackling Crime - 2. Multi-agency working
Multi-agency working - such as Community Safety partnerships where a variety of agencies (police, local council and the health and probation services) work together with local people to tackle crime, rather than just relying on the police and the CJS
