Crime And Deviance - Left And Right Realism

Question 1

What are the 2 sides to the argument in the 1980s?

Answer 1

More right wing policies -> stricter punishment of offenders (didnt seem to lower crime rate)
Marxist based theories -> crime could only be limited through a Marxist ‘revolution’ (unlikely to occur)

Question 2

What are the two wings in realist criminology?

Answer 2

Right & left

Question 3

How did left realism develop?

Answer 3

As a response to right realism influence on government policies

Question 4

Who were the sociologists that spoke about left realism?

Answer 4

UK (Young, Lea & Matthews)
US (Currie)

Question 5

SOCIOLOGIST: What did Young say about left realism?

Answer 5

Was one of the founders of critical criminology that introduced elements of Interactionist theory into Marxist theory to provide a ‘complete’ theory of crime
Had become discharged with the Marxist approach -> stressed that that sociological analysis of crime should stress the importance of crimes of the powerful -> (this view was generated by the results of the Islington & Merseyside survey that showed real victims of crime were the poor & powerless -> street crime & burglary one of the main social problems they faced)
Argued that the role of sociologists & criminologists was to provide relevant & credible solutions for policymakers to limit crime & the harm it caused to the poor

Question 6

How are left realists similar to Marxists?

Answer 6

Believe capitalism is unfair
Believe collective action can change the world

Question 7

How are left realists different than Marxists?

Answer 7

Believe change comes from reform rather than revolution
Believe crime isnt a social construction but a real problem

Question 8

How do left realists criticise traditional Marxists?

Answer 8

Trad Marxists focus on crimes of the powerful -> left realists agree they are important by they ignore working class crimes

Question 9

How do left realists criticise Neo-Marxists?

Answer 9

Neo-marxists romanticise working class criminals (robin hood -> see stealing from the rich as an act of political resistance to capitalism -> l.r point out w class criminals mostly victimise other w class people not the rich

Question 10

How do left realists criticise labelling theorists?

Answer 10

W class criminals are seen as victims of discriminatory labelling by social control agents -> argue they neglect the real victims of crime (w class)

Question 11

What do left realists argue about crime?

Answer 11

There is an aetiological crisis
They take w.class crime very seriously
Explanation of crime has 3 elements

Question 12

What is an aetiological crisis & why do left realists argue there is one?

Answer 12

A crisis in explanation for theories -> other theories dont offer practical solutions to crime

Question 13

What are the 3 elements of the left realist explanation for crime?

Answer 13

Relative deprivation
Marginalisation
Subculture

Question 14

What is relative deprivation?

Answer 14

Feeling deprived in relation to others

Question 15

SOCIOLOGIST: According to Runciman, How does relative deprivation cause crime?

Answer 15

argued political revolutions only occurred when the poor became aware of the differences between them & the rich -> (generally accepted their poverty & powerlessness without it) -> awareness of relative poverty causes revolution

Question 16

SOCIOLOGIST: How can relative deprivation be applied to crime, suggested by Lea & Young?

Answer 16

Pointed out that poverty/unemployment dont directly cause crime -> in economic depression crime rate is often lower, young people often feel resentful at what they could actually earn compared with their aspiration
- more prosperous a society = more crime (people more aware of their relative poverty due to the media -> raises people’s expectations & those who cannot afford material possessions turn to crime

Question 17

EVALUATION: What is an issue with relative deprivation to explain crime?

Answer 17

Relative deprivation doesnt always lead to crime -> young: increased individualisation is causing the disintegration of families & communities & weakens informal controls that groups exercise over individuals -> e.g. anti-social behaviour

Question 18

What are the 3 types of marginalisation?

Answer 18

Economic, social & political

Question 19

What is an example of economic & social deprivation?

Answer 19

Young people, ethnic minorities & the unemployed living in inner city estates that are more likely to suffer from high levels of deprivation than more affluent areas

Question 20

What is example of political deprivation?

Answer 20

People feeling powerless to influence decision makers -> feel powerless, resentment & frustration & resort to violence to achieve their goals

Question 21

Where are subcultures more likely to develop?

Answer 21

Amongst groups who suffer relative deprivation & marginalisation however different groups produce different subcultures

Question 22

SOCIOLOGIST: What does Lea & Young say about subcultures?

Answer 22

Subcultures are still located in the values of wider society & develop because their members subscribe to the dominant values of society but are blocked off (by marginalisation) from success, resulting in street crime & burglary committed by young males (majority)

Question 23

SOCIOLOGIST: What does Murray say about subcultures & crime?

Answer 23

Suggests a lack of discipline & male role models causes young males to create their own criminal subcultures to replace their absent fathers

Question 24

SOCIOLOGIST: What is late modernity & what does Young say about it?

Answer 24

Refers to changes in the economy (production -> service industries) creates instability & insecurity in the workplace, growth of global rather than national economies -> short term low pay jobs (higher div rates) & the decline in trad social institutions e.g. family (replacement with greater emphasis of individual identity & aspirations)

Argues we are in a state of late modernity

Question 25

What is the square of crime?

Answer 25

1) state & criminal justice agencies -> the influence on the context of crime, how law enforcement deals with it (whether the act is labelled, styles of policing)
2) publics & communities -> how people react? Are the offenders condemned, reported etc.?
3) offenders -> what meaning does the act have, why do they choose to do it, what extent are they driven by external factors
4) victims -> why & what do they do about it (how do they view offenders -> report?)

Question 26

What are some left realist crime solutions & there impacts on policies?

Answer 26

Lea & Young, Matthews & Young -> all argue crime is a result of the inequalities generated by capitalist societ, they state the Marxist solution of creating a classless society is romanticised & wont happen in the UK
Young -> propose that government, local authorities need to unite in their response to the concerns of the victim -> the real cause of crime will reduce -> safer neighbourhood committees, local audits of crime, improve council housing etc,

Question 27

What are the criticisms of left realism?

Answer 27

• Marxists have criticised for ignoring real causes of crime & they ignore crimes of the powerful
• Interactionist -> dont explain offenders motives & rely on quantitive data from victim studies (lack depth of qualitative data)

Use of subcultural theory -> assumes value consensus & crime only exists when it breaks down

Relative deprivation inefficient explanation -> not all who experience it commit crime

Only examine the views of victims from inner city high crime rate areas -> unrepresentative -> makes crime appear more harmful in these areas

Question 28

SOCIOLOGIST: What are biological differences according to Wilson & Herrnstein?

Answer 28

Stated crime is inevitable & some people are innately & more pre-disposed to crime
Wilson -> people are likely to commit crime is they’re not socialised into acceptable behaviours in childhood
Personality traits e.g. impulsiveness are hereditary -> greater risk of offending

Question 28

What are the 3 factors that make up crime according to right realists?

Answer 28

Individual biological factors
Inadequate socialisation of the underclass
Rational choice to offend

Question 29

SOCIOLOGIST: What did Murray say about the inadequate socialisation of the underclass?

Answer 29

Agrees with Wilson & Herrnstein (main cause of crime is low intelligence -> hereditary (biologically determined))
Argues effective socialisation from the nuclear family can decrease risk of offending but rates are increasing in UK & US due to growing underclass
Argues that single parent families are on welfare so the males abandon them, absence of male role model results in male offspring turning to deliquent role models & trying to gain status through illegimate means
The underclass undermine social cohesion (erodes values e.g. personal responsibility)

Question 30

How are right realists similar to the new right?

Answer 30

Both believe in free will & believe people make rational choices before they commit crime

Question 31

SOCIOLOGIST: What does Ron Clarke say about rational choice theory?

Answer 31

Argues prison sentences aren’t tough enough
Perceived benefits outweigh the costs -> crime

Question 32

EVALUATION: What are some issue with rational choice theory?

Answer 32

Individualises crime -> doesnt look at wider social factors

Overestimates level of free will

Doesnt explain non-utilitarian crime/why most crime is opportunistic

Overemphasises biological factors e.g. IQ (science shows accounts of 3% differences in offending)

Question 33

SOCIOLOGIST: What is Routine activity theory proposed by Felson?

Answer 33

For a crime to occur there must be a motivated offender, suitable target, absence of a capable guardian (offenders act rationally -> presence of guardian deters them)

Question 34

What are some Right realists ways of tackling crime?

Answer 34

Argued there is no satisfactory way of dealing with the causes (bio & socio differences) -> governments cannot change these easily
Suggests practical measures to make crime less appealing
Argued police should be concentrating on order maintenance (using law to make sure smaller activities crushed -> noisy parties)
Wilson -> believed it would create a different view of what is acceptable & make public areas safe again for majority

Question 35

SOCIOLOGIST: What is the broken windows theory proposed by Wilson & Kelling?

Answer 35

Crime flourishes in places where social control breaks down
e.g. a proportion of the population may engage in incivilities e.g. dropping litter (if they go unchecked -> social order breaks down = more crime)

Question 36

What are some policy implications, proposed by Wilson & Kelling?

Answer 36

Zero tolerance (police cracking down on all signs of undesirable behaviour e.g. keeping drunks of the streets)
Target hardening (crime prevention policies that reduce the rewards & increase cost of crime to offender e.g. maximum prison sentencing

Question 37

Where has Wilson’s ideas been used?

Answer 37

New York & parts of the UK -> big decline in crime rate

Question 38

SOCIOLOGIST & EVALUATION: What are some criticisms of right realism proposed by Platt & Takagi?

Answer 38

They concentrate exclusivley on w class & street crime (ignore crimes of the powerful (more harmful to the public)
Fails to explain the causes of crime (apart from blaming inadequate socialisation) -> clears governments & economy of any blame