Left Realism

Question 1

What’s the difference between Left and Right Realists

Answer 1

Left = 'tough on causes of crime'
Right = 'tough on crime'

Question 2

What do LRs think is the best way to reduce crime

Answer 2

See inequality as the root of the problem and that gradual reforms are the best option.

Question 3

What do LR criticise other theories for

Answer 3

1. over romanticising w/c criminals as modern day Robin Hoods; stealing from rich to the poor.
2. through focusing on the response of the others to an offender, they neglect the victims and the impact crime has.
3. they concentrate on nag. impact of crimes f the powerful but neglect impact of w/c crime on the w/c people

Question 4

Who are the groups LRs to be the main victims

Answer 4

BAME groups, women, w/c; more likely to be victimised.

‘over policed, under protected’

Question 5

What was Lea and Young’s study on crime and it’s causes

Answer 5

Developed in 1980s;
a response to criticisms of Marxist/Neo Marxist/Labelling theory for:
-not taking crime seriously –> reducing to moral panics
-creating Robin Hoods
-failing to take victimisation seriously

Question 6

What are the 3 causes of crime according to LRs

Answer 6

1. relative deprivation
2. marginalisation
3. subcultures

Question 7

What is relative deprivation

Answer 7

how deprived someone feels compared to others; they may not be poor or deprived but can still feel they lack something.

Question 8

How can relative deprivation lead to crime

Answer 8

when people feel resentment that others are better off than them which is unfair.
The media and advertising make people more aware of what they’re missing.
When combined with individualism (pursuit of self interest), crime is more likely because individualism undermines value consensus on n&v’s

Question 9

what’s marginalisation

Answer 9

where people or groups don’t feel significant or represented in their society

Question 10

How does marginalisation lead to crime

Answer 10

Young people often feel marginalised because of lack of power and rising unemployment.
Neg. treatment by the police create hostility to mainstream society, leading to crime

Question 11

What are subcultures

Answer 11

a cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or values different to those of the larger culture (society)

Question 12

How can subcultures lead to crime

Answer 12

some w/c and black people feel underrepresented, therefore, marginalised and form deviant subcultures. These groups react to society supposedly not caring about them by involving themselves in street crime, gangs, joy riding, mugging etc.

Question 13

What is late modernity, suggested by Young

Answer 13

Young argues in late modern society, the problem of w/c crime is worse due to:

1. harsher welfare policies, increased unemployment, poverty etc.
2. destabilisation of family and community, weakening informal social controls

Late modern society is a high-crime society with a low tolerance for crime

Question 14

What does late modernity result in (LR)

Answer 14

1. there is now ‘relative deprivation downwards’ e.g. resentment against unemployed as spongers, more hate crimes etc.
2. public are less tolerant and demand harsher formal controls by the state.

Question 15

What are Left Realist solutions to crime

Answer 15

They argue RR solutions won’t work because they focus on symptoms of crime rather than cause.

1. reducing inequality
2. democratic policing/multi agency approach

Question 16

What’s reducing inequality (LR)

Answer 16

Removing the underlying cause!
Call for major structural changes to tackle discrimination, inequality and unfairness of rewards, housing, opportunities.

Question 17

What are ways to reduce inequality suggested by LRs

Answer 17

1reduce wealth and income inequality

2. tackle educational underachievement, unemployment, low pay
3. improve housing and environment in deprived areas
4. invest in poorer areas to create jobs

Question 18

What’s democratic policing

Answer 18

aims to move away from a control-orientated approach to a kore service-orientated approach to regain trust of communities.

Question 19

How can police regain public’s trust for democratic policing to occur (LR)

Answer 19

Police rely on public for info but this decreases when there’s no trust in police.
To win public support, police must be accountable to communities by involving them in deciding policing and priorities.

Question 20

What’s a multi agency approach

Answer 20

Crime control must have a multi agency approach in dealing with crime, like using social services, housing, schools etc, not just the police.

Question 21

What policies have been put in place to improve inequality and reduce crime, by LRs

Answer 21

1. Sure Start - early childcare, schools for children
2. POLICE & Community Together - regular meetings between police and public
3. NACRO -works with disadvantaged groups to reduce need for crime

Question 22

What are criticisms of LR approaches

Answer 22

1. ignores harm done to the poor by the powerful (no WCC, CC state crime)
2. over predicts amount of w/c crime; not everyone experiences relative deprivation and marginalisation
3. focusing on high crime inner city areas makes crime appear a greater problem than it is
4. LR relies on quantitative data, but offenders’ motives will require qualitative data