Realism Flashcards
General overview of realism.
Both focus on crime prevention strategies, they deal with crime more head on as a real life problem with consequences and victims which need tackling. They both agree on:
-significant rises in crime
-concerned about the widespread fear of crime and effects on victims
- other perspectives have failed to deal with the real issue of tackling crime.
What are left realists more interested in?
A gradual social change rather than a revolution.
What do left realists believe is right?
That we should be realistic and work on reducing crime here and now.
Who are the main theorists for Left Realism?
Lea and Young.
What is marginalisation?
Where some one ahs no clear goals or organisation they turn to crime.
What happens as a result of the young unemployed being marginalised?
They turn to crime due to being unable to find political means to express their interests.
What is the ‘lethal deprivation’ that relative deprivation theorists talk about?
Relative deprivation and individualism.
What is individualism?
People’s concerns with their own rights and benefits.
Why do they argue that relative poverty causes crime?
People commit crime to get what they want as they see other people with it.
Why are subcultures created?
When opportunities are blocked and goals cannot be reached through mainstream means and methods.
What are subcultures a collective solution to?
Relative deprivation.
Other than crime, what can subcultures turn to?
Belief.
What are left realists crime prevention stratergies?
Policing and control- policing must be more accountable to local communities and deal with local concerns. Police must improve their relationship with public and change priorities.
Tackling structural concerns- tackle discrimination, provide decent jobs, and improve housing if we want to reduce the levels of offending.
What are the evaluations of left realism?
Not everyone who experiences relative deprivation commit crime
Focuses on inner-city areas and gives unrepresentative views of crime
Use official statistics to base its views even though they are socially constructed
Fail to examine white collar crime
Right Realists say that they are too lenient on criminals and not being tough enough on them.
Who was Right realism created by and why?
Thatcher and Reagan in the 1980’s and it is linked to political and free market policies which seek to reduce the welfare state and put social responsibility on the individuals own shoulders.