Left Realism

Question 1

Relative deprivation

Answer 1

Lea and Young - crime has its roots in deprivation. Although people are better off today, they have a greater feeling of relative deprivation because of media and advertising have raised everyone’s expectations for material possessions. There is more pressure to get more stuff to keep up with everyone else

Question 2

Subculture

Answer 2

Group’s collective response to the situation of relative deprivation and they draw on Cohen’s theory of status frustration. There are many different subcultural adaptations to blocked opportunities.

Question 3

Marginilisation

Answer 3

People lack the power or resources to fully particpate in socierty. Marginalised groups lack clear goals and organisations to represent thier interests. Groups such as workers have clear goals and organisation represent them - trade unions
Unemployed youth are marginalised have no specific organisation to represent them and no clear sense of goals which results in feelings of resentment and frustration which can be expressed through violence

Question 4

Solution: early intervention

Answer 4

Perry pre-school project for disadvantaged black children in the usa. A group of 3-4 year olds were offered a two year intellectual enrichment programme where they recieved weekly home visits. By 40 yrs old the experimental group had significantly fewer arrests for various types of grime and a higher percentage had graduated high school and made it to full time employment

Question 5

Solution: community based approaches to reducing crime

Answer 5

Young and Matthews argue that improving leisure facilities for the young, reducing income inequalities, improving housing estates, raising the living standards of poorer families, reducing unemployment will all help to cut crime.

Question 6

Solution : improving policing

Answer 6

They argue that 90% of crimes are cleared up by the police as a result of information from the public however public confidence in the police has declined. If the police do not have information they need from the public they have to find new ways to solving crimes which may lead to a drift towards military policing and then they alienate people in the community and make everyone feel like criminals.

Question 7

Evaluations :

Answer 7

• marxists argue that these policies may tackle deprivation but they do not tackle the underlying structural inequalities in the capitalist system