left and right realism

Question 1

realist theories of crime

Answer 1

• focus on the reality of crime
  whats actually happening? the impact of crime on victims/local communities

Question 2

left realism

Answer 2

• takes an approach of ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’
• genrally linked to labour party policies

Question 3

left realism cause of crime

Answer 3

• marginalisation
• relative depriviation
• subculture

Question 4

left realism solutions to crime

Answer 4

• having better community relations
• less deprivation
• more opportunities for w/c

Question 5

left strengths

Answer 5

• does not glamorise crime like marxist writers do
• takes tackling crime and fear of crime seriously
• recognises crime can have devistating concequences
• sees the importance of community solutions to crime

Question 6

left disadvantages

Answer 6

• neglects other responses to deprivation and marginality apart from crime, retreatism and ritualism (merton)
• ignores gender as a significant issue
• doesnt pay much attention to white collar crime

Question 7

subcultures (left)

Answer 7

• w/c deviant subcultures emerge as group solutions to the problem of relative deprivation and marginality
• street gangs & variant youth subcultures - can act as motivators of crime

Question 8

right realism

Answer 8

• assosiated with the new right
• see law and order as the way forward; crime is a choice and we need to make it a tougher one
• crime is socially constructed

Question 9

right realism causes of crime

Answer 9

• biological differences
• underclass / faulty socialisation
• rational choice theory

Question 10

right realism solutions to crime

Answer 10

• prevent and punish
• control theory

Question 11

right strengths

Answer 11

• addresses immediate causes of crime
• provides policies for reducing the opportunities for crime
• recognises the importance of community control and community responses to crime

Question 12

right disadvantages

Answer 12

• doesnt address wider structural causes of crime
• doesnt pay any attention to white collar crime
• suggests that offenders act rationally

Question 13

value consensus and shared morality
(right)

Answer 13

• reflected in the law, and criminals are immoral because they break this consensus
• social order is crucial and individuals should be able to live their lives without fear of crime

Question 14

community control
(right)

Answer 14

• poor socialisation and lack of community control lies behind anti social behaviour and crime
• most effective form of crime control is through strengthening bonds of community

Question 15

biological differences - Hernstein and murray
(right)

Answer 15

• main cause of crime is low intelligence (argue this is biologically determined)

Question 16

biological differences - wilson and hernstein
(right)

Answer 16

biosocial theory - crime is caused by biological and social factors

some people are more strongly predisposed to commit crime - personality traits, risk takers, lack of self control