Realism

Question 1

what does realism link to in crime?

Answer 1

crime prevention and punishment

Question 2

what are the 4 things that realists say about crime?

Answer 2

1- crime is a real problem
2- crime causes real fear
3- crime has real victims
4- they try to offer realistic solutions

Question 3

what outlook does right realism share?

Answer 3

new right outlook

Question 4

what are the 3 things that right realists say causes crime?

Answer 4

1- biological differences
2- socialisation and the underclass
3- rational choice

Question 5

who said biological differences is a cause of crime?

Answer 5

hernstein and murray

Question 6

what is biological differences according to right realists?

Answer 6

-the biological differences between individuals make someone more strongly predisposed to commit crime
-personality traits
-argue that the main cause of crime is low intelligence, which is biologically determined

Question 7

who came up with the idea that socialisation and the underclass?

Answer 7

murray

Question 8

explain socialisation and the underclass?

Answer 8

-we are socialised to be a criminal
-effective socialisation would decrease the chance of an individual committing a crime
-need to learn right from wrong
-lone mothers are ineffective socialisation agents, especially for boys
-absent fathers means boys lack discipline and male role model so they gain status through crime, turning to delinquent role models

Question 9

what is a key quote to do with socialisation and underclass?

Answer 9

‘crime rates are increasing because of a growing underclass or new rabble.’

Question 10

who said that rational choice is a cause of crime?

Answer 10

clark

Question 11

explain rational choice as a cause of crime?

Answer 11

-decision to commit a crime is a choice, as we have free will, with crime occurring as a result of a calculation
-calculation= weighing the reward with the costs and benefits

Question 12

what are the 4 things people contemplate before committing a crime ?

Answer 12

1- what’s the risk?
2- what’s the benefit?
3- should i obey the law?
4- why should you not obey the law?

Question 13

what did Felson say in support of rational choice?

Answer 13

for a crime to occur, there must be-
1- a motivated offender
2- a suitable target
3- absence of a capable guardian

Question 14

what does the presence of a capable guardian do when someone is motivated to commit a crime?

Answer 14

it increases the risk so it is more likely to deter a potential offender

Question 15

what is the solution to crime according to right realists?

Answer 15

increase the risk/cost of someone committing a crime
- ‘tough on the crime, tough on the criminal’

Question 16

what are the 3 evaluation points of right realists and the causes of crime?

Answer 16

-ignores the causes of crime, punishment without rehabilitation does not work
-may explain some utilitarian crime but what about impulsive and violent crime
-contradiction, how can we be rational and calculate but lack intelligence and not know the difference between right and wrong

Question 17

what do left realists believe in, including equality?

Answer 17

they believe in a gradual change, rather than a violent overthrow of capitalism, in order to achieve equality.

Question 18

what do left realists say about explanations of crime?

Answer 18

we need explanations of crime that lead to practical and realistic solutions to crime .

Question 19

what do left realists say about functionalists?

Answer 19

they ignore that crime is not always beneficial

Question 20

what do left realists say about neo-marxists?

Answer 20

they romanticise WC criminals as ‘Robin Hood’ figures, ignore that WC target/victimise and other WC

Question 21

what did left realists say about labelling theorists?

Answer 21

they ignore real victims of crime, see WC criminals as victims of labels, neglecting other victims

Question 22

what do left realists say about crime rates and what did Young say?

Answer 22

they recognise that there has been a real increase in crime since 1950s, especially WC crime, as there was actually more victims not just more reports
YOUNG= there is then a crisis in explanation for theories of crime

Question 23

what do left realists focus on surround WC crime?

Answer 23

they focus on how disadvantaged groups have a greater risk of becoming victims

Question 24

what is the example that left realists may use to show that disadvantaged groups have a higher risk of becoming victims?

Answer 24

unskilled workers are 2x more likely to be burgled than other people

Question 25

what are the three causes of crime according to left realists?

Answer 25

1- relative deprivation
2- subculture
3- marginalisation

Question 26

who came up with the 3 left realist causes of crime?

Answer 26

lea and young

Question 27

what is relative deprivation according to left realists?

Answer 27

RUNCIMAN= relative deprivation is how deprived someone feels in relation to others and compared to their own expectations
-people are more aware of this due to the media saturated society, as it increases everyone’s expectations for material possessions
-consumer culture causes a bulimic society, leading to people ‘vomiting’ out their expectations

Question 28

what is the impact of relative deprivation

Answer 28

people can commit crimes due to their expectations and relative deprivation
-crime is a cause of a combination of relative deprivation and individualism (putting own interests first)

Question 29

what does individualism cause according to left realists?

Answer 29

undermines values of mutual support and selfishness, weakening informal controls, which creates a spiral of anti-social behaviour, aggression and crime

Question 30

what do left realists say about subcultures being a cause of crime?

Answer 30

-‘those who feel deprived turn to criminal subcultures’
-blocked opportunities and subculture are a reaction to failure to meet mainstream society’s goals
-criminal subcultures still subscribe to values and goals of mainstream society
-some subcultures are not criminal, as some are religious, for comfort and explanations

Question 31

what did young say surrounding subcultures?

Answer 31

USA ghettos are fully immersed in American Dreams but have blocked opportunities so turn to crime
-‘ a culture hooked on Gucci, BMW, Nikes.’

Question 32

what do left realists say about marginalisation?

Answer 32

those pushed out/on the edge of mainstream society become outsiders and are more at risk of economic, social and political deprivation
-they have little power/organisation to improve situation and so this causes resentment and frustration, so they express this through criminal behaviour

Question 33

what is the evaluation of left realists?

Answer 33

-marxists= LRs fail to explain corporate crime which is harmful
-assume that value consensus exists and that everyone wants the same thing
-not everyone with relative deprivation commits crime
-since 1990s crime has fallen

Question 34

how do LRs explain tackling crime according to Kinsley, Lea and Young?

Answer 34

police clear up rates are too low to act as a deterrent, so they spend little time investigating crime
they argue that the public must become more involved in deterring police’s priorities and style of policing

Question 35

what is the current status according to left realists?

Answer 35

the police depend on the public to provide criminal info but what are losing this support, as people distrust the police

Question 36

as the police are losing public support, what do they turn to according to left realists?

Answer 36

military policing
-‘multi-agency’ approach
-tackle subcultures causes of crime through major structural changes, tackling inequalities, and having more tolerant of diversity/stop stereotyping