Realism and Crime Flashcards
What is Left Wing? (4)
Regard the nuclear family as desirable.
Alternative family structures are acceptable.
The state should play a role in family life.
Support the ideas that both parents may work.
What is Right Wing? (4)
Regard the nucelear family as desirable.
Alternative family structures are inadequate.
The state should play a limited role.
Support the idea of traditional roles in the family.
What do Left Realists see as the main underlying cause of crime and what do Right Realists think?
Left Realists think the underlying cause of crime is inequality.
Right Realists see the cause of crime to be the welfare state and a breakdown in informal and formal social controls.
What do Right Realists argue? (3)
They see street crime as a real and growing problem that destroys communities.
They criticse other theories for failing to offer any practical solutions to the problems of rising crime.
The main reduction of crime should be through control, containment and punishment.
What are the 3 causes of crime according to Right Realists?
Rational choice theory - Wilson.
Socialisation of the underclass - Murray
Biological and social differences - Wilson + Herrnstein.
What is Rational Choice Theory? (2)
People are naturally selfish and will commit crime for personal gain if they think they can get away with it.
They assess the risk of getting caught and if they think they won’t get caught they are more likely to commit the crime.
What is the socialisation of the underclass? (2)
The breakdown of other institutions like the family along with an overgenerous welfare state leads to children being inadequately socialised.
The lack of strong role models leads to young males turning to delinquent role models to gain status through crime. Boys look for perverse love.
What are biological and social differences? (2)
Crime can be caused by biologicak and social differences.
Biological differences make people more strongly to commit crimes than others. E.G: aggressiveness or low intelligence.
What are the 2 Right Realists solutions to crime and deviance?
Target hardening
Zero tolerance
What is target hardening? (2)
The idea behind this is to cut crime by making it more difficult to commit crime.
E.G: improved locks, alarms, CCTV.
What is zero tolerance? (2)
Police clamp down on the first signs of undesirable behaviour so criminality can decrease.
It is linked to Wilson’s broken window theory. If a single broken window is left unrepaired an area will start to deteroriate.
What is an example of target hardening/ zero tolerance? (2)
London Riots - more police to stop crimeand target low level crimes.
Bobby’s on the beat - police presence / visibility on the street.
What are strengths of Right Realism? (3)
Provides practical solutions for reducing the opportunity for crimes to occur.
The ideas behind crime prevention have been extensively used like zero tolerance.
It acknowledges the importance of community control in policing and reducing crimes.
What are criticisms of Right Realism? (3)
It doesn’t address the wider structural causes of crime such as poverty and inequality. It blames w/c for being stuck in that position.
It doesn’t pay attention to white collar and corporate crime.
It suggests that offenders are rational but some actions are impulsive and do not bring obvious gain.
What is Left Realism? (4)
Opposite of Right Realism.
Lea and Young aim to explain street crime committed by black and white youth in urban areas.
They see society as an unequal capitalist one.
The increase in crime is a social construction manufactured by the government.
