CD6 Realist view Flashcards
Left realist
Believe that society is criminogenic but not because of capitalism, society needs a gradual change.
3 Left realist Causes of crime
Relative deprivation
Marginalisation
Subcultures
Left realist Causes of crime, Theorists
Relative deprivation belongs to
Marginalisation belongs to no one
Subcultures belongs to
Relative deprivation - Lea and Young
Marginalisation
Subcultures - Cloward and Ohlin and Cohen
Left realist Causes of crime. Relative deprivation by Lea and Young
Deprivation is at the —- of criminality. In the —-’s poverty was —- but crime rates were —. Instead Lea and Young argue that as living standards have risen so has peoples feeling of being deprived ——— to others. This can lead to ———- and people turning to crime to achieve wealth they feel they are ——– to.
Relative deprivation - Lea and Young
Deprivation is at the root* of criminality. In the 1930’s* poverty was high* but crime rates were low. Instead they argue that as living standards have risen so has peoples feeling of being deprived compared to others. This can lead to resentment* and people turning to crime to achieve wealth they feel they are entitled* to.
Left realist Causes of crime
Marginalisation
Marginalisation - People don’t feel they are part of society, and lack the goals and organisations to represent their interests. This leads to frustration and resentment amongst those groups and can lead to criminal behaviour.
Left realist Causes of crime
Subcultures by Cloward, Ohlin and Cohen
A subculture is a collective response to the problem of relative deprivation. For left realists criminal subcultures still subscribe to the goals and values of society such as materialism and consumerism –e.g. Ghettos in America hooked on Gucci, BMW and Nike.
Left realists
What social problems they focus on first when tackling crime?
What should be used to challenge the social problems in society?
First need to tackle the social problems which lead to crime, in particular the causes of inequality and deprivation.
Policies and strategies should focus on creating better relationships between the public and police, and create a multi-agency approach,
Evaluation for left realist
Who? – left relists accept the governments definition of crime being the street crime committed by the poor.
Interactionists–Doesn’t explain the _______ due to reliance on quantitative data. Assumes a value consensus.
Relative deprivation cannot explain all crime as not all those that experience it go on to commit crime.
Focus on high crime inner city areas gives an unrepresentative view of crime and makes it appear a greater problem than it is.
Milovanovic–accepts the governments definition of crime being the street crime committed by the poor.
Interactionists–Doesn’t explain the motives due to reliance on quantitative data.
Assumes a value consensus.
Relative deprivation cannot explain all crime as not all those that experience it go on to commit crime.
Focus on high crime inner city areas gives an unrepresentative view of crime and makes it appear a greater problem than it is.
Right realist
Right realists see street crime as a real and growing problem that destroys communities and undermines social cohesion. They are less concerned with the causes of crime and more concerned with practical and realistic solutions to crime.
Right realists - Wilson and Herrnstein’s theory
Biological Differences - Wilson and Herrnstein
Some people are more predisposed to crime through personality traits such as aggressiveness, extroversion and risk taking along with low impulse control. This mixed with poor socialisation or lack of role models leads to criminal behaviour.
Right realists’ Murray’s theory
Name of the theory and summary
Socialisation & the Underclass - Murray
Crime rates are increasing due to the growing underclass of people who are dependent upon the welfare state, therefore failing to adequately socialise their children. Murray suggest that the ‘glorious revolution’ of the 1960’s led to the increase of lone parent families which are inadequate agents of socialisation and teach children to not take responsibility for themselves.
Right realists’ Clarke’s theory
Rational Choice - Clarke
Individuals have free will and chose to commit crime. If the perceived cost of crime is outweighed by the benefits of crime, people are more likely to offend. Right realists believe that currently, the cost of crime is too low which is why the crime rate has increased.
Right realists’ Causes of crime (3 of them)
Biological Differences - Wilson and Herrnstein
Socialisation & the Underclass - Murray
Rational Choice - Clarke
Right realist view on tackling crime
should be looking at making criminal behaviour less attractive to people. This includes:
Target hardening
Wilson and Kelling’s Zero Tolerance theory
