Left Realism Flashcards
Key figure
Jock Young
Developed as a response to two main factors:
A need to produce practical solutions to the growing rate of crime
- influence of right realism on government policy - political backlash
Central idea
Crime is a real problem which affects disadvantaged groups (who are the main victims)
How do they see the working class?
As victims of discriminatory labelling by social control agents neglecting real victims - WC people who suffer at the hands of criminals
Crime rates
Increase in crime since 1950s, especially wc crime
Lea and young
Three related causes of crime
Three related causes of crime
Lea and Young
Relative deprivation
Feeling deprived in relation to others
- we are more prosperous yet more crime ridden
Young (inquealitt)
Increased inequality and increased emphasis on material success have made this problem worse
Subcultures
Develop strategies and lifestyle to cope with problems of relative deprivation
- criminal subcultures still subscribe to the goals of society but where legitimate avenues are blocked, they resort to crime
Marginalisation
Groups lack clear goals and organisations to represent their interests
- unemployed youth are marginalised - no goals or organisations just frustration and resentment
What do priorities of police need to be changed to
Police need to work with communities rather than against them
- Black Lives Matter - how police are tackling them - police aren’t protecting communities but actively hurting them
Social inequality
Those communities who experience these things are more likely to commit crime
- police are losing trust from them
- police going in with a military approach when they should be working with them
New labour
Firmer approach to hate crime
- introduced anti social behavioural orders in line with left realist concerns to protect the vulnerable
- curfews
New deal for young people
Support from a mentor for 6 months
- trying to get them back into work/ education and if they refuse after this period their JSA benefit is stopped
