Left and Right realism

Question 1

Give an overview of the Right Realism approach

Answer 1

`- Associated with the conservatives

• They blame individuals for crimes and low levels of social cohesion
• crime committed by young people are caused by:
• The welfare society
• The police
• breakdown in traditional informal controls

Question 2

Who proposed the rational choice theory

Answer 2

Cornish and Clarke:
- assumes every individual has free will and the power of reason
- a Criminal is a rational person which will consider ther risks, beliefs and consequences before committing a crime
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Question 3

who counter acts this

Answer 3

Felson:

If the community are strong it increases the risk, beliefs and consequences

Question 4

give a criticism of Cornish and Clarke

Answer 4

not all crime is rational some is impulsive e.g. out of emotion

Question 5

Who introduce the broken Window Theory and give n overview of it

Answer 5

Kelling & Wilson:

• Broken windows are a symbol of social disorder = suggest a lack of community concerns leads to anti - social behaviour
• Any sign of deterioration must be sorted immediately or this will give criminals signs that no one cares

Question 6

GIve two critisms of the broken windows theory

Answer 6

• Ignore other types of crimes

- Don’t address wider structural factors

Question 7

Give an overview of left realists

Answer 7

They are influenced by Marxist/Neo but are also critiques of them
- Focus on practical solutions for crime and mention we need to be tough on the social causes of crime

Question 8

Name the sociolgists that name factors those that commit crime are likely to suffer from

Answer 8

Lea and young:

• Relative deprivation = feeling deprived in comparison to others = resentment, frustration & discontent
• Marginalisation = being socially excluded from mainstream society
• subculture = types of criminals and cultures that may form from mainstream society

Question 9

Who proposed the Bulimic society

Answer 9

Young:

- We are all included in consumer culture but some people face social exclusion and cannot afford to participate

Question 10

How has relative deprivation worsened over time (Young)

Answer 10

1. growing individualism
2. growing economic inequality
3. weakening of informal control (family)

Question 11

Give two criticisms of left realists

Answer 11

• Ignore other responses to Relative deprivation e.g. Mertons retreatism
• Feminsits: LR neglect gender as a significant issue as it is part of a ‘malestream society’