AC 2.3 Describe sociological theories of criminality Flashcards
What are the sociological theories?
- Social structure
- Interactionism
- Realism
What is social structure?
Marxists essentially sees crime as something being inevitable in a capitalist society and is used by the ruling class or bourgeoise, as a means of social control. If someone does not conform then they will be punished. Marxists would also argue that different social classes are policed differently, with the working class, heavily policed in the expectation that they will be more criminal and therefore raising the chances of their crimes being detected.
What is interactionism?
Interactionism refers to how people in society interact with one another. Howard Becker use the labelling theory to explain criminality. They argue that official statistics on crime are socially constructed and they believe that crime is also a social construction. Becker puts forward that crime is a subjective concept; agents of social control, such as the police and judges, label certain acts and behaviour as deviant or criminal. Once a particular act/behaviour has been labelled as deviant, the deviant person starts to view themselves as a deviant. This becomes their ‘master status’ and can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, which means that they start to internalise the label and begin acting and behaving in a way that mirrors the label
What is right realism?
Right realism considers crime from the perspective of political conservatism, with the standpoint of getting a tough on crime. Charles Murray is a leading right realist who states that everyone is tempted to commit to commit crime but it is the amount of social bonds that often prevent us from doing so. They question the view that economic factors, such as poverty or unemployment, are the reason behind rising crime rates. Instead, it was believed that individuals are more likely to commit crime when the social constraints on their behaviour are weakened. So crime is linked to inadequate social control.
What is left realism?
Left realism suggests that crime lies in the inequalities created by a capitalist society. Left realists believe that both practical measures to reduce crime and a long-term change towards a more equal, caring society are needed.
