Left Realism

Question 1

Criticism of Marxists

Answer 1

Concentrate on crimes of the powerful at the expense of WC crime

Question 2

What is the aetiological crisis?

Answer 2

A crisis in the explanation of the theories for crime in the 50s.

Question 3

Causes of crime: relative deprivation

Answer 3

Lea and Young: although SoL is higher than it previously was, crime levels have risen because people are more aware of relative deprivation due to advertising

Question 4

Causes of crime: subculture

Answer 4

Different groups have different solutions to blocked opportunities

EXAMPLE: some turn to crime but religious subcultures promote conformity which is known as a ‘theodicy of dispriviledge’

Question 5

Causes of crime: marginalisation

Answer 5

Unemployed youth are marginalised- they have no organisation to represent them and no clear goals which combined with being powerless creates resentment

This is the cause of rioting

Question 6

(Young) Late modernity has led to cultural inclusion and economic exclusion

Answer 6

Cultural inclusion: the poor have access to the media’s consumerist messages and there is a greater emphasis on immediate gratification

Economic exclusion: despite the ideology of meritocracy, the poor are denied opportunities

Question 7

Tackling crime

Answer 7

They favour an approach which tackles structural causes like the unequal structure of society, inequality of opportunity etc.

Question 8

Impact on gov policy

Answer 8

New labours firmer approach on policing hate crimes and domestic violence echoed left realist concerns to protect vulnerable groups from crime

Question 9

Advantage of Left realism

Answer 9

Draws attention to the reality of street crime abd its effects on victims from deprived backgrounds

Question 10

Criticisms

Answer 10

Hyperfocus on inner city crime gives an unrepresentative view and makes crime seem like a greater issue than it is

Interactionist argue that because they use official statistics, they cannot explain the offenders’ motives

Question 11

Tackling crime: military policing

Answer 11

Military policing alienates communities and results in a viscious cycle because locals distusting the police and not giving them information encourages them to use military policing

Question 12

Tackling crime: multi agency approach

Answer 12

Agencies such as local councils’ social services and voluntary services should work with the police to deal with crime. This would allow the police to improve their relationship with the public