Left Realism + Crime

Question 1

Left Realism - Causes of Crime - Relative Deprivation - Runciman

Answer 1

• It’s how deprived someone feels in relation to others
- leads to Crime–> people resent others unfairly having more + resort to Crime to obtain what they feel entitled too

Question 2

Left Realism - Causes of Crime - Relative Deprivation - Lea + Young

Answer 2

• Although people are better off, they are more aware of relative Deprivation due to media raising expectations of material possessions

Question 3

Left Realism - Causes of Crime - Relative Deprivation + Individualism - Young

Answer 3

• Relative Deprivation + individualism cause crime
• Individualism = concern with self + own rights rather than group
- encourage pursuit of self-interest at expense of others= crime
- increased individualism causes family + community disintegration
• weakens control = more anti-soc beh

Question 4

Left Realism - Causes of Crime - Subcultures - Pryce

Answer 4

• Subcultures within African Caribbean community in Bristol: Hustlers, Rastafarians, Saints + wc respectables
• Differebt groups produce different subcultural solutions
- some turn to crime to close Deprivation gap others find religion + spirituality comfort
• Criminal subcultures still subscribe to shared norms (materialism + consumerism)
• Agrees with Cohen - status frustration
• Agrees with cloward + ohlin - opportunity

Question 5

Left Realism - Causes of Crime - Marginalisation - Lee + Young

Answer 5

• Marginalised groups lack goals + organisations to represent interests
- e.g. wage rise
• Unemployed youth are marginalised
- no organisation + clear goals, just resentment + frustration = crime

Question 6

Left Realism - Causes of Crime - Anti-Social Behaviour - Young

Answer 6

• High public concerns of anti-soc behaviour is a result of defining Deviance up
• Since 90s gov aim to control beh - Anti social behaviour orders (ASBOs)
- Blurr boundaries of crime –> incivilities crime, breaching ASBO = more crime
- Subjective definitions
- Flexibility –> more beh cab be seen as criminal due to subjective definitions

Question 7

Left Realism - Evaluating causes of crime

Answer 7

• Right Realists –> Explanations fail to account for free will + choice
- don’t blame poor for actions
• Marxists –> Agree marginalisation + relative dep leads to wc crime
- but it’s result of ruling elite dividing + conquering wc
- focus on street crime distracts from mc crime (ignore)

Question 8

Left Realism - Solutions to Crime - Inequality in soc is main cause

Answer 8

• Soc structures need reforming
- solve inequality of opportunity - status frustration
- Tackle discrimination - woods
- Provide jobs, houses
• Build tolerance in soc
- Tolerate Deviance
- Stop stereotyping whole groups as deviant

Question 9

Left Realism - Solutions to Crime - Policing + Control - Kinsley, Lea + Young

Answer 9

• Police clear up rates are low + spend little time solving crime
• Police depend on public for crime info –> only 90% of crime reported
• Police loosing public support + respect = don’t report crime
• Police respond with military policing –> excessive Police presence, stop + seach = spiral of distrust
• Want to reform Police
• Multi - Agency approach–> Local council + school involved in crime responsibility

Question 10

Left Realism - Solutions - Use gov policy to tackle societal issues leading to crime

Answer 10

• Firm approach to policing hate crime, sexual assault, dv + low level crime (ASBOs)
• New Deal for Unemployed youth
• Anti-truanting policies
• Increase CCTV + Social Control

Question 11

Left Realism - Evaluation

Answer 11

• Marxists - Henry + Milovanovic –> doesn’t talk about mc crime
• Right Realists –> not all deprives are criminal (rational choice)
• Interactionists –> Over reliant on crime stats (social Constructs)