Left Realism Flashcards
Causes of crime
1) Marginalisation
- Young (1997) argues in late modern society (late modernity) growing numbers of working class and black youths are finding themselves marginalised or economically/socially excluded because of insecurity (recessions, unemployment, temporary low paid jobs, cuts in welfare benefits etc) and family instability (e.g. divorce).
- Marginalisation (not able to take an active part in society due to unemployment, lack of money etc.) is seen as an underlying pressure for crime and deviance amongst the powerless.
- However, left realists stress that marginalisation is not in itself a direct cause of crime - they reject simplistic links between poverty, unemployment and crime.
2) Relative deprivation
- Young argues that crime is most likely to follow when individuals or groups feel relatively deprived.
- This is when the marginalised feel worse off than other groups and feel social injustice.
- Young suggests that feelings of relative deprivation have increased in late modern society because expectations regarding consumption/cultural inclusion (e.g. ipods, latest mobiles etc.) have increased due to media pressures.
- However, Young also stresses that relative deprivation alone does not necessarily lead to crime. Relative deprivation is most likely to cause crime when coupled with a strong sense of individualism (concern for oneself rather than others)
3) Subcultures
- Criminal and deviant subcultures emerge as a group response to marginalisation and relative deprivation.
- Subcultures allow groups of individuals to feel socially included and facilitate crime and deviance by making such behaviour seem acceptable.
- Young suggests that an increasing variety of subcultures exist (e.g. religious, criminal, conflict and retreatist etc.) and shape the type of deviant activity engaged in. For example, criminal subcultures may deal in drugs to close the ‘deprivation gap’.
Other key ideas
Young argues in late modernity relative deprivation has spread to the middles classes.
- He also claims there is ‘relative deprivation downwards’ where the middle classes feel resentful of the underclass.
- Relative deprivation downwards also explains ‘hate crimes’ e.g. racist attacks against asylum seekers.
Practical solutions
Left realists believe that government intervention and community involvement are necessary to reduce the spread of crime. They favour ‘justice’ policies:
- Anti discrimination policies.
- Reduce economic inequality.
- Create more training and employment opportunities.
- Build police community partnerships e.g. neighbourhood watch to improve reporting rates. Avoid military policing (aggressive/random stop and search).
- Greater use of community service sentences instead of custodial sentences.
Evaluation
Left realist theories have gained empirical support. Jones et al.’s (1986) local Islington crime survey shows that crime is real problem for inner city residents.
They found that levels of victimisation and fear of crime were high, especially amongst women. This suggests there is some validity in the left realist ideas.
Left realist theories too readily accept official statistics (although they do acknowledge they have problems). Therefore they fail to explain adult white-collar crime and neglect female subcultural delinquency. This suggests that the left realist response to official statistics is not adequate.
Causes of crime
1) Marginalisation
- Young (1997) argues in late modern society (late modernity) growing numbers of working class and black youths are finding themselves marginalised or economically/socially excluded because of insecurity (recessions, unemployment, temporary low paid jobs, cuts in welfare benefits etc) and family instability (e.g. divorce).
- Marginalisation (not able to take an active part in society due to unemployment, lack of money etc.) is seen as an underlying pressure for crime and deviance amongst the powerless.
- However, left realists stress that marginalisation is not in itself a direct cause of crime - they reject simplistic links between poverty, unemployment and crime.
2) Relative deprivation
- Young argues that crime is most likely to follow when individuals or groups feel relatively deprived.
- This is when the marginalised feel worse off than other groups and feel social injustice.
- Young suggests that feelings of relative deprivation have increased in late modern society because expectations regarding consumption/cultural inclusion (e.g. ipods, latest mobiles etc.) have increased due to media pressures.
- However, Young also stresses that relative deprivation alone does not necessarily lead to crime. Relative deprivation is most likely to cause crime when coupled with a strong sense of individualism (concern for oneself rather than others)
3) Subcultures
- Criminal and deviant subcultures emerge as a group response to marginalisation and relative deprivation.
- Subcultures allow groups of individuals to feel socially included and facilitate crime and deviance by making such behaviour seem acceptable.
- Young suggests that an increasing variety of subcultures exist (e.g. religious, criminal, conflict and retreatist etc.) and shape the type of deviant activity engaged in. For example, criminal subcultures may deal in drugs to close the ‘deprivation gap’.
Other key ideas
Young argues in late modernity relative deprivation has spread to the middles classes.
- He also claims there is ‘relative deprivation downwards’ where the middle classes feel resentful of the underclass.
- Relative deprivation downwards also explains ‘hate crimes’ e.g. racist attacks against asylum seekers.
Practical solutions
Left realists believe that government intervention and community involvement are necessary to reduce the spread of crime. They favour ‘justice’ policies:
- Anti discrimination policies.
- Reduce economic inequality.
- Create more training and employment opportunities.
- Build police community partnerships e.g. neighbourhood watch to improve reporting rates. Avoid military policing (aggressive/random stop and search).
- Greater use of community service sentences instead of custodial sentences.
Evaluation
Left realist theories have gained empirical support. Jones et al.’s (1986) local Islington crime survey shows that crime is real problem for inner city residents.
They found that levels of victimisation and fear of crime were high, especially amongst women. This suggests there is some validity in the left realist ideas.
Left realist theories too readily accept official statistics (although they do acknowledge they have problems). Therefore they fail to explain adult white-collar crime and neglect female subcultural delinquency. This suggests that the left realist response to official statistics is not adequate.
