Left Realism Perspective Flashcards
LR: Origin
Developed to create practical solutions to growing crime rates
- Partly as a response to R/R’s critique of sociology
- Reformists, not revolutionists (dissimilar to mx)
View on Crime
People have a real fear of crime
Crime = a real problem that requires a solution
Financial struggle = source of crime
Main victims of crime = disadvantaged groups (statistically)
Real increase in crime = led to an aetiological crisis; no evidence of crime increase
Most criminals = disproportionately black w/c male youth
L/R Causes of Crime
Relative Deprivation
Marginalisation
Subculture
Relative Deprivation (L/R)
Feeling poor in comparison to others
Runciman: How deprived someone feels in relation to others or compared to their own expectations
Young: The “lethal combination is relative deprivation & individualism” (causes crime by the pursuit of self-interest over others - :) Goffman)
INCREASING INDIVIDUALISM: Causing disintegration of families & communities by undermining the values of mutual support
L/R Marginalisation
NO ORGANISATION REPRESENTING A COMMUNITY
- LACK OF CLEAR GOALS -
E.g. Unemployed = marginalised - no goals / organisations, frustration & resentment , F&R is expressed through criminal means > political means (violence)
L/R Subculture
A groups’ collective solution to relative deprivation
SOME SUBS ARE CRIMINAL
- Criminal subs still subscribe to the goals of society where the legitimate avenues are blocked; these subs resort to crime
L/R Solutions to crime & crime prevention
Policing & Control
Structural Causes
Government Policy
L/R PROBLEM: Policing & Control
Most important
Over-policing drug crime & under-policing racial crime = serious problem
- Military style policing
- Distrust of police led to Operation Swamp 1981 where MP elicited stop & searches to rioters
L/R SOLUTION: Policing & Control
Police must be made more accountable to local communities thereby:
- Improving Community Relationships
- Changing their (police) priorities
(POLICE RELY ON PUBLIC INFO - NEED PUBLIC TO TRUST THEM)
L/R Crime prevention: Structural Causes
Unequal structure of society; to prevent crime, must deal with:
- Inequality of opportunity (capitalism / patriarchy)
- Tackle discrimination
- Provide decent jobs for all
- Improve housing
- Become more tolerant of diversity
YOUNG: Advocates multi-agency approach: greater support for families / employment opportunities / new youth facilities / etc
L/R Crime Prevention: Government Policy
Crime has strong influence on gov policy
L/R = similar to new labour: tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime
N/L: Firmer approach to hate crime / sexual assault & domestic violence
TONY BLAIRE - Introduced ASBOs to tackle crime & protect the vulnerable
NEW DEAL: New deal for unemployed youth
- Attempts to reserve the exclusion of young people who are @ risk of offending
:( - N/D has not led to permanent jobs
:( - ASBOs have become a badge of honour for disillusioned youth
L/R Evaluation
Value consensus- :) Funct. :( Fem & Mx
Quantitative data - :( Cannot establish motives of offenders
Relative Deprivation - :( Cannot fully explain crime (not all who experience r/d commit crime)
