Crime Prevention - Left Realist Strategies

Question 1

What do left realists argue about reducing crime?

Answer 1

Argue that in order to reduce crime, we must tackle the root causes of crime and work with communities

Question 2

Which group do left realists argue are at the most risk of offending?

Answer 2

People on low incomes, in poor housing: living in deprived, council estates with poor parental supervision

Question 3

What sort of intervention do left realists argue needs to be put in place to reduce offending?

Answer 3

Intervention such as:

Provide skills training for jobs
Educate parents on how to discipline their children
Free nursery places

Question 4

What is sure start?

Answer 4

Program targeted to parents and children under the age of 4 living in deprived, low-income areas

Question 5

What does sure start aim to do?

Answer 5

Aims to reduce cultural deprivation

e.g. provide support with children’s reading, learning through play sessions and parenting sessions

Overcome material deprivation

e.g. make sure children are eating healthy balanced meals, so they can concentrate at school

Encourage better parenting to reduce social exclusion

Question 6

How do right realists criticise programs such as sure start?

Answer 6

Argue programmes like sure start are ‘too soft’

Must be stricter on the underclass parents who fail to socialise their children properly (e.g. children think its ok to live off benefits) and don’t discipline their children

Instead policies should be harsher (e.g. fine parents who allow their children to truant from school)

Question 7

What do left realists argue about police and communities?

Answer 7

Argue the police need to improve their relationship with local communities, listening to and acting upon public concerns

Needs to be trust between public and police

Question 8

What do left realists argue about the communities role in policing?

Answer 8

Argue communities should play important role in taking on responsibilities of policing the streets and public should be encouraged to get involved with policing local communities e.g. Neighbourhood watch

Question 9

What is the multi-agency approach that left realists emphasis?

Answer 9

Emphasis a multi-agency apprach where other agencies take an active role in the policing of local communities

e.g. schools, local councils, housing organisations

Question 10

How do right realists criticise left realists opinions on improved policing?

Answer 10

Builiding relationships between police and communities won’t reduce crime

Argue people make rational choices to commit crime whether their friendly with police or not

Need strategies to make crime harder to commit in the first place e.g. CCTV, anti-climb paint

Need more police on patrol to arrest offenders straightaway (zero tolerance)