Left Realism

Question 1

Lea and Young

Answer 1

An increase in street crime cannot be explained by poverty bc standards of living have increased, agree with Marxists that society is deeply unequal

Question 2

Need to ‘get real’ about crime (3)

Answer 2

w/c do commit more crime (especially black youth), most have victims so there’s a fear of crime, main victims are the poor

Question 3

Relative deprivation

Answer 3

Some groups find themselves ‘on the edge’ of society

Question 4

Marginalisation

Answer 4

It is not poverty/deprivation as such that causes people to commit crime but whether they see themselves as deprived in comparison to others

Question 5

Lea and Young evaluation

Answer 5

Recognise that most victims are the poor and w/c, and the importance of tackling the fear of it :)

Marxists would argue that Lea and Young don’t pay much attention to white-collar and corporate crime :(

Question 6

Farrington

Answer 6

Used positivist longitudinal studies to compare the backgrounds of young males who offended and those without a record

Question 7

Farrington ‘risk factors’ (3)

Answer 7

Low income and poor housing, low school attainment, lone parent families

Question 8

Social policies (2)

Answer 8

SureStart, drive your community

Question 9

Summary (3)

Answer 9

Develop practical policies to tackle crime e.g. better policing, need to spend more time investigating crime to reassure confidence in the police, by tackling social issues fewer w/c youth will turn to crime

Question 10

Evaluation (2)

Answer 10

Hirschi would agree that the more informal social control there is the less crime will occur :)

Right realists argue that social crime prevention is too ‘soft’ almost treating the offender as a victim :(