Realism

Question 1

LR v RR

Answer 1

both see crime as real prob needing solu - come from dif ends of pol spectrum
RR - blame indu - no self control
LR - struc inequals & relative deprivation
RR - solu = order & control LR - democratic policing & reforms for equality

Question 2

Right Realist views on crime

Answer 2

crime = issue destroying communs & underm soc coh = influ UK & USA
crit other theories for not providing prac solus = too symp to crim & hostile to forces of law
focused on realistic solus / cause - focus on stats

Question 3

Biological Differences

Causes of Crime: Right Realists

Answer 3

Wilson & Herrnstein (1980) biosocial theory of crime = combo of bio & soc factors
bio difs make some m predisposed to crime - agres, extroversion & risk taking - linked w/ poor soc leads to crim behav
Herrnstein & Murray (1994) main cause = low IQ = bio deter

Question 4

Socialisation & the Underclass

Causes of Crime: Right Realists

Answer 4

Murray (1990) crime inc due to inc in underclass who = defined by dev behav & fail to soc children properly
underclass inc in UK & USA due to cul of welfare depen
dec in marriage dec respon for fam - no need to work

Question 5

Underclass threatens social cohesion

Causes of Crime: Right Realists: Murray

Answer 5

undermines values of hard work & personal respon

Question 6

Lone Parent Mothers

Causes of Crime: Right Realists: Murray

Answer 6

ineffective agents of soc - esp for boys

Question 7

Absent Fathers

Causes of Crime: Right Realists: Murray

Answer 7

lack of paren discipline & male role model so turn to delinquent role models to gain status through crime

Question 8

Rational Choice Theory

Causes of Crime: Right Realists

Answer 8

indus have free will & power of reason
Ron Clarke (1980) commiting crime = choice based on rational calc of consequences - if rewards outweigh risk then m likely to offend
RR cost of crime = percieved low - why crime rate = high

Question 9

Tackling Crime

Right Realists

Answer 9

RR don’t deal w/ cause believe can’t be changed
seek prac measures to make crime less attractive
focus = control, containment, & punishment rather than elimination underlying issue

Question 10

Example: Broken Windows

Answer 10

Wilson & Kelling (1982) - essen to maintain local areas to prevent crime - any sign of deterior m be dealt w/ immed
advocate 0 tol to undes behav eg prositution, begging, drunkness
police should focus on streets so law abiding cits = safe
crime prev meths should dec rewards of crime inc costs
target hardening inc use of prison sentencing & swift pun to maxi deterrent

Question 11

Evaluation

Answer 11

ignores wider structure causes - pov
overstates cost/ bens calcs - does this expl violent crime?
views crime as rational conflicts w/ bio social theories
preocc w/ street crimes - ignores corp crime
0 tol may give police freedom to discrim - EMs, youth
results in displacement of crime

Question 12

Left Realism

Answer 12

create practical solus to growing crime rates
to reduce RR influ on gov pol

Question 13

Young (1977)

Answer 13

crisis in explan - denial that inc = real - reporting has inc X crime = soc construc X reality
LR say inc = too great to explain this way - m ppl reporting as m crime is happening

Question 14

Relative Deprivation

LR Causes of Crime

Answer 14

m prosperous today = m crime ridden - aware through media raises expec for mat goods
Young (1999) - ‘the lethal combo is rela dep & ind’ causes crime by pursuit of self interest at expense of others
inc indu causes disintergration of fams & communs by undermining v’s of mutual sup - weakens informal controls - creates spiral of inc crime

Question 15

Subculture

Answer 15

LR subcul = groups col solu to rela dep
crim sub culs subscribe to goals of soc - where legit avenues = blocked - these groups result to crime

Question 16

Marginalisation

Answer 16

lack clear goals & orgs to rep their interests
unemployed = marginalised - no goals / orgs just frust & resentment - express through crim means - violence X pol means

Question 17

Policing & Control

Answer 17

Kinsey Lea & Young (1986) - police clear up rates = too low to act as deterrent - spend too little time investigating crime
police depend on public to provide info (90% reported by public) - police losing sup in innner cities & EM & young - must be m accountable to local communs = improve commun relas & changing priorities - over policing drug crime under policing racial crime

Question 18

Structural Causes

Answer 18

cause = unequal soc struc
must deal w/ inequal oppur, discrim, & provide decent jobs, improve housing & be m tolerant of diversity

Question 19

LR & Gov Policy

Answer 19

sim to New Labour - tough on crime & cause of crime
NL firmer approach to hate crime, sexual assualt, dv & introed ASBOs to protect vul
new deal for unemploy youth attempts to reserve exclu for those at greatest risk of offen

Question 20

However

Left Realists

Answer 20

young sees these pols as doomed attempts to recreate the ‘golden age’ of the 1950s - New Deal has not led to permenant jobs & ASBOs have become a badge of honor for disillusioned youth - address symptoms X causes

Question 21

Evaluation Left Realists

Answer 21

Milocanovic (1996) - accepts gov def of crime being street crime by poor - ignores corp crime
interacs - use quan data - can’t expl motives of offens
use of sub cul theory means assume = VC & crime only occurs when broken down
rela dep can’t fully expl crime as not all who exper = crim