Left realism Flashcards
What do left realists think about crime?
It is a real problem and needs to be solved
Should focus on working class and working class victims
Structure inequality
Solutions should have community focus and improving relations between police and public
What do Lea and Young argue about relative deprivation?
Leads to crime because people who are deprived resent others having more material good than them, resorting to illegitimate means
The media heightens are expectations for material possessions which can encourage crime
What are criticisms of Lea and Young?
Many people who are material deprived are law abiding
Many wealthy turn to crime eg. white collar
What is argued about subcultures?
They form as a collective solution to relative deprivation
Some may turn to crime in order to close deprivation gap
What does Young argue about a Bulimic society?
Cultural inclusion + social and economic exclusion = bulimic society
We gorge ourselves with media images of expensive lifestyles but are then forced by economic circumstances to vomit out the raised expectations
Intensifying the sense of frustration
What did Lewis et al argue about the 2011 riots and bulimic society?
They were motivated by the desire to consume goods that were denied to them
Looting became a way to access those goods in society that promotes consumerism but excludes many from it
What are criticisms of subcultures?
People who are not part of subcultures turn to crime
Not all subcultures are criminals
How can marginalisation be a reason for crime?
Marginalised groups lack clear goals and organisations to represent them, which leads to frustration and resentment
They express this frustration through criminal acts such as violence and rioting
What is a criticism of marginalisation?
No explanation for why crime is the outlet of their frustration as opposed to other behaviours.
Why may unemployed be marginalised in society?
No organisations to represent them
Resentment and frustration, express through violence
No sense of clear goals
How can we tackle crime through policing and control?
Policing must be made accountable to local communities and need to improve their relationship with communities by spending more time investigating crime and in making policing policy
90% of crimes cleared up by the police due to information from the public
Yet there is a decrease I think confidence of the police amongst the public
What is the confidence cycle?
Community engagement an public confidence in the police
community engagement
Neighbourhood priorities
Collaborative problem solving (adresses)
Neighbourhood problem (increases)
Confidence
Trust
Community intelligence (directs)
Activity through NIM (drives)
Repeats
How can we tackle structural causes?
Reduce inequality of opportunity and discrimination and providing jobs for everyone.
Leisure facilities for the young
Rising living standard of poorer families
Decent jobs
Improving housing
What is a positive of tackling structural causes?
Turning potential criminals into an employed tax payer has a massive financial benefit
What is a criticism of tackling structural causes?
More costly in comparison to right realism
How do Marxists criticise tackling structural causes?
It tackles deprivation but not the underlying structural inequalities in capitalist system
