Left realism

Question 1

Left realism

Answer 1

Linked to left wing politics e.g. Labour. Argue we need to tackle the causes of crime to prevent/reduce it. Left realists also want to rehabilitate criminals.

Question 2

Lea and Young: The causes of crime

Answer 2

Relative deprivation, subculture, marginalisation.

Question 3

Lea and Young Evaluation: Positive

Answer 3

They explain the social causes of crime and recognise that tackling crime means tackling inequalities. They recognise that most victims of crime are poor and working class, and the importance of tackling crime and the fear of it.

Question 4

Lea and Young Evaluation: Negative

Answer 4

Marxists would argue that Lea and Young do not pay much attention to white collar crime and corporate crime. Lea and Young relied on victim surveys to measure the extent and fear of crime, but these have some difficulties as they tend to over-report some crimes and under-report some.

Question 5

Crime control/prevention

Answer 5

Farrington supports Lea and Young, he looked at ‘risk factors’ such as low income and poor housing, low school attendance and parental conflict.

Question 6

Left realist social policies: Crime prevention policies

Answer 6

1. Community groups 2. Sure start 3. Police and communities together

Question 7

Kinsley et al

Answer 7

Argue that the police need to improve clear-up rates, to deter offenders from committing crime, improve relations with the community and spend more time actually investigating crime to reassure people and restore confidence in the police.

Question 8

Evaluation of left realist crime prevention strategies: Positive

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Evaluation of left realist crime prevention strategies: Negative

Answer 9

Focuses on low level street crime or crimes of violence. Marxists would argue that they ignore crimes of the powerful and environmental crimes. Right realists argue that social crime prevention is too ‘soft’ on crime, almost treating the offender as a victim.

Question 10

Realist views on crime control and prevention: Left

Answer 10

Being tough on the causes of crime, inequality causes crime (marginalisation, subcultures, relative deprivation), social crime prevention to tackle social issues and remove criminal motivation.