4. Right Realism Flashcards
Right realism on crime stats
Largely accepts them
Right realism on crime
Approach emphasises a no nonsense crackdown on crime, supporting zero tolerance policing. Closely linked to political conservative ideology
Right realism influence
Influential in shaping conservative government policies under Thatcher and Reagan in 1980s
Right realism attitudes towards labelling theory
Reject view that crime is a social construct
Believe it’s too sympathetic towards criminal behaviour
Right realism attitudes towards Marxism on crime
Reject notion of crime being product of structural inequality
Unfairly hostile towards CJS
4 right realism causes of crime
Biology (Wilson and Herrnstein)
The underclass and socialisation (Murray)
Rational choice theory (Wilson)
Routine activity theory (Cohen and Felson)
Wilson and Herrnstein’s biological causes of crime
Crime is disproportionately high in men
Some men are predisposed to criminal behaviour as they have high degrees of personality traits linked to aggression and risk-taking
Personality doesn’t determine criminality, but it does make it more likely
What is the nuclear family the best agency for according to Murray?
It’s the best agency for socialisation for children to learn the best law-abiding behaviours
The nuclear family and the welfare state according to Murray
The nuclear family is being eroded by the welfare state and giving rise to the underclass
Murray’s underclass
Subculture of single parents dependent on the welfare system who inadequately control their kids due to a lack of a authority figure to socialise them correctly
How are lone-parent families encouraged according to Murray?
Over-generous welfare provision has created a culture of welfare dependency, encouraging lone-parent families
How does welfare dependency link to criminality according to Murray?
Welfare dependency creates a social environment that encourages deviant and criminal behaviour
Who developed the rational choice theory and what is it?
Wilson
Individuals have free will and therefore freely choose whether or not to commit crimes
Rational choice - individuals see if the benefits (E.g. financial gain) outweigh the costs (punishment) of committing the crime
High crime is due to low level of perceived cost/risk of being prosecuted
Especially valid for youth crime as they see CJS as lenient
3 things that crimes need according to Cohen and Felson’s routine activity theory
A motivated offender (reason to commit crime)
Availability of opportunities and targets (availability of a victim and correct circumstances to commit)
A sense of a capable guardian / authority figure
When coming up with solutions for crime what do RRs focus on?
Changes to criminal law
Changes to control and punishment of offending behaviour
5 RR solutions to crime
Custodial sentencing
Zero tolerance policing
Reduce opportunities
Police
Welfare policy
Custodial sentencing solution to crime
Tougher/longer sentences, especially for repeat offenders
Zero tolerance policing solution of crime
Zero tolerance policing involved coming down hard on criminals in terms of punishing behaviour without accepting excuses
Minor crimes dealt with same vigour as serious crimes
What theory links to zero tolerance policing and what does it say?
Wilson and Kelling’s ‘broken windows’ theory
Suggests how if low level disorder isn’t tackled quickly, it will rapidly escalate
Reduce opportunities solution of crime
Limit opportunities to commit crimes by increasing public awareness
Police solution to crime
Increase presence and power of police to increase risk of being caught
Welfare policy solution to crime
Change policy to make nuclear family become more financially attractive than other forms
Positive evaluation of right realism on crime: real life application
Policy-orientated so it offers workable solutions
Positive evaluation of right realism on crime: success of zero tolerance policing
New York implemented this policy in 1993 and found 36% reduction in violent crime from 1993 and 1996
HOWEVER Young argues that crime in New York had been falling since 1985 anyway
Positive evaluation of right realism on crime: research support
Flood-Page et al used Home Office research to find that children from lone-parent or step-families were more likely to offend than those from nuclear families
Negative evaluation of right realism on crime: left realist criticism (2)
Left realists believe dealing with social inequality is a better way of reducing crime (tackling causes, not finding solutions)
Left realists believe right realist emphasis on police and prisons is ineffective - solutions offered by New Right to conservatives appeared to have little impact on CR
Negative evaluation of right realism on crime: Marxist criticisms (2)
Ignores economic origin of crime (capitalism is criminogenic)
Ignores crimes of the wealthy
Negative evaluation of right realism on crime: attack on civil liberties
Higher argues increased social control and surveillance is an invasion of privacy
