Left wing policy

Question 1

What do left realists think is the main cause of crime ?

Answer 1

• Inequality
• deprivation
• social exclusion

Question 2

What is long-term approach to crime prevention from the left-wing ?

Answer 2

• reduce income inequalities - raise minimum wage and benefits
• raising living standards - more affordable housing
• reducing unemployment - training opportunities
• improving education

Question 3

What is Braithwaite’s opinion on punishment ?

Answer 3

Looks at 2 types of shaming
Disintegrative - shaming involving the labelling and stigmatisation of the offender. This labelling becomes their master status (right realist)

Reintegrative - Shaming focuses on the offenders behaviour. Re-affirms membership into a law-abiding society. This avoids labelling (left-realist)

Question 4

What are some examples of how left realists lower the re-offending rates ?

Answer 4

• community sentences
• treatment programmes (anger management and drug rehab)
• restorative justice

Question 5

What is restorative justice ?

Answer 5

• recognises the impact of crime on the victim, community and the offender
• both the offender and victim benefit benefit by taking an active role in the justice process
• encourages offender to take responsibility for their actions.

Question 6

What did Braithewaite say about restorative justice ?

Answer 6

• Dialogue between victim and offender
• ends in high victim satisfaction and offender accountability
• reduces offending

Question 7

What did Shapland say about restorative justice ?

Answer 7

• 85% victim satisfaction
• decrease in re-offending
• for every £1 spent on restorative justice £9 is saved

Question 8

What is the left-realist view on control ?

Answer 8

• focuses on relationship between the police and community
• multi-agency working
• policing

Question 9

What do Lea and Young say about the left realist view on policing ?

Answer 9

• challenge the flaws of police
• use of military policing which leads to mistrust
• relationships need to be improved, trust and cooperation

Question 10

What is multi-agency working ?

Answer 10

• more cooperation between agencies which affect and control behaviour
• e.g police, council, social services and the media

Question 11

What did Lea and Young say about multi-agency working ?

Answer 11

• more coordination between the services
• if there is a failure in communication this can lead to serious consequences

Question 12

What are the evaluations of the left realist view on policy ?

Answer 12

• unrealistic and ineffective
• Murray = 60s and 70s on the job training wasn’t successful
• long-term so government wouldn’t fund
• soft option
• Gilroy - underestimate deliberate racist strategies