Left Realism - Tackling Crime Flashcards
Outline the left realist approach to tackling crime
They argue we must improve policing and control, and deal with the deeper structural causes of crime
Describe the more accountable policing approach to tackling crime
- Left realists argue that policing must be held accountable to local communities and deal with their concerns and stop and search tactics worsen their relationship with the public.
- The police must improve their relationship with the public by spending more time investing crime, by changing their priorities (they under-police racist attacks but over-police minor drug crime) and involve the locals in making policing policy
Describe the multi agency approach to tackling crime
Crime control can’t be left ot the police alone, agencies such as schools, social workers and housing, must work with the police to reduce crime
Describe the dealing with inequality approach to tackling crime
- As the causes of crime lie in the inequal structure of society, there must be structural changes to reduce crime
- We must deal with inequality of opportunity, tackle discrimination, provide decent jobs and improve housing. We must also become tolerant of diversity and cease stereotyping groups as criminals
How has left realism influenced government policy?
- Their views are similar to a New Labours stance of being ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime.’
- e.g. New Labour’s firmer approach to policing hate crimes and sexual assaults, echoed left realist concerns to protect vulnerable groups from crime
How do left realists argue that we can understand crime?
Young, Lea and Matthews argue that to understand crime, we must examine the interaction of micro and macro factors, shown in the ‘square of crime’
Describe the ‘square of crime’
- The state: is an agent of social control as it decides what’s criminal and what isn’t. So it’s vital to consider them when explaining crime as all crimes happen in the context of the state
- Offender: it’s vital to consider why people offend. Left realists argue that more research is needed to study why people drift in and out of criminal behaviour
- The public: we must consider factors that influence public attitudes and responses to crime. Fear of stigmatisation from peers, family is a powerful determinants of behaviour. The media has the ability to shape public perception of what’s criminal causing us to apply labels to certain acts
- The victims: they must be considered as they decide if a crime takes place. Must consider what makes victims vulnerable in a macro (position in society) and a micro (relationship to offender) sense
Give evaluation for left realists (relative deprivation)
Relative deprivation can’t fully explain crime as not all those who experience it commit crime so the theory over-predicts the amount of crime
Give evaluation for left realists (subcultural theory)
The use of subcultural theory means left realists assume that value consensus exists and crime only occurs when this breaks down
