Realism Flashcards
Roots of left realism
From 1950s there has been an increase of crime
Developed in 1980s/1990s post Thatcher
See society as equal rather than capitalistic
Reformist rather than revolutionary
Believe in gradual change of the current system
Need explanations of crime that will lead to potential strategies for reducing it rather than waiting for a revolution
Left realism on other
Marxists focus too much on the crimes of the elites
Neo-Marxists romanticise crimes of the wc, labelling them the modern day Robin Hood
Labelling victim - neglects real victims who are often wc - inter-class crimes
Who do left realists talk about which others do not
Victim as it is often the victim who decides if something is a crime, most crimes being reported. Crime is produced through the interaction between offenders and victims
Lea and Young 3 related causes of crime
Relative deprivation - how deprived we feel in relation to others. Although people are now better off, they are made more aware of other’s wealth
Subcultures - a group’s solution to rd. While religious subcultures may offer conformity, criminal subcultures offer illegitimate ways to acheive mainstream goals of society
Marginalisation - Powerless to use political means of improving their position so they fall back into violence or rioting
Kensie Lee and Young
Police spend too little time actually investigating crime
Military policing - police are over - reliant on public reports, lost support and trust in major cities so they release left
Positive evaluation of left realism
Relative deprivation explains why there is still crime with improved living standards
Takes street crime seriously
Mentions roles of victims
Negative evaluation of left realism
Fails to explain causes of street crime - interclass
Why do some people experience this and not commit crime
Neglects corporate and organised crimes
Idealistic, lacks solution
Roots of right realism
High crime in 70s and 80s in UK and USA, Thatcher and Raegan both wanted to strip welfare benefits and decreas crime
Believe there hasn’t been a significant rise in crime.
Focus more on proposing policies to reduce crime
What are the 3 causes of crime - right realism
Rational choice
Broken window theory
The underclass
What is rational choice
People weigh up pros and cons before committing crimes
Crime will therefore increrase if there is : low punishment, low rick of getting caught, and if there are quality rewards
Cohen and Feison - rational choice
Crime needs 3 conditions to take place - motivation, availability and opportunities and a lack of capable guardians
Most crime was therefore oppurtunistic and not planned
Positive evaluation of rational choice
Explains most property crime - 80%
Places blame on criminals
Negative evaluation of rational choice
Status may affect this risk too
Fails to mention crimes of passion or street crimes, which occur from the spell of the moment
Who talks about the broken window theory
Kellings and Wilson
Kellings and Wilson - broken window theory
a sign of disorder and lack of concern for others in the neighbourhood. Includes loud noise, begging, drug dealing, littering and vandalism. This often signals no one cares and invites crime.
An absence of formal and social control, police turn a blind eye making residents feel intimidated/powerless
Respectable people try to move out while deviants move in
Positive Evaluation of broken window theory
Supported by CSEW suggesting higher levels of crime in poorer neighbourhoods
Negative evaluation of broken window theory
Mixed evidence on if high levels of social disorder leads to higher levels of criminality
Concept of both social disorder and crime are hard to operationalise, different measures, therefore it’s diffucult to test the theory.
What is the underclass
The changing family structure since 1970s and 1980s largely attributed due to it allowing for an increasing underclass or rear rubble who fail to socialise their children. Increased because of welfare dependency and growth of lone-parent families
Mothers are also unable to socialise boys without father - explains crime in afro-carribean communities
Evaluation of the underclass
Marxists believe there’s a deeper underclass through globalisation
Media focuses on wc crimes and neglects crimes of the elite
Right realism - solution
focus on point the criminal and victims meet,. Stem from rational choice throry and involve either reducing oppurtunity or increasing the risk. Increasing surveillance or target hardening.
May be appealing as they are cheap and easy to implement
Anyone can do this : ring door bells, anti climb paint
Felson, Situational crime prevention
Port authority New York bus terminal, toilets made smaller to decrease homeless people washing in them
Positive evaluation of situational crime prevention
Relatively easy
Makes the public safer
Evidence shows it works - zero tolerance policing made crime decrease 50% between 1993-1996
Negative evaluation of situational crime prevention
Crime displacement, just moves crime somewhere else
Only wealthy can afford it
Ignores underlying causes of crime
Too expensive for rural areas with displaced populations.
