Realist Approaches to explaining crime

Question 1

Rational choice theory (right)

Answer 1

Clarke - when there is opportunity, high reward and little risk

Question 2

The Underclass (right)

Answer 2

Murray - emerged because of increasing welfare dependency since 1980s
socialise children to become irresponsible and lazy

Question 3

Broken Windows Theory (right)

Answer 3

Wilson and Kelling - crime high in areas of social disorder - attracts criminals who think it is easier to get away with crime

Question 4

Biological factors (right)

Answer 4

Herrnstein and Wilson - personality traits like aggression and impulse control - also low intelligence (murray)

Question 5

3 ways of tackling crime (right)

Answer 5

Zero tolerance policing (links to rational choice) deterrence
Broken windows - maintain order
Target hardening (eg locking doors)

Question 6

success in new york from zero tolerance policing and target hardening was actually a myth - crime already falling (economy improving) and politicians made out that it was policy that improved crime rates

Answer 6

Jock Young

Question 7

Relative deprivation (left explanation)

Answer 7

Lea and Young - people resorting to illegitimate means because others have more material goods than them (individualism has also caused this) - status frustration?

Question 8

2 more reasons (left realism) why crime happens - no researcher

Answer 8

subcultures (result of relative dep)
marginalisation (frustration?)

Question 9

Late modernity - left realist explanation for crime

Answer 9

Young - society now unstable, jobs market fractured (many low paid) - rise in inequality - anomie

Question 10

Policing and control (left realist tackling crime)

Answer 10

Kinsey, Lea and Young - police need to improve relationships w communities, spending more time investigating crime

Question 11

Tackling Structural Causes - left realist

Answer 11

reducing inequality of opportunity - becoming more tolerant of diversity and stop stereotyping whole groups as criminal

Question 12

Children divided into two groups - one control, one receiving the High/Scope pre-school programme for 6 years (emphasising active learning/decision-making, monitoring social behaviour)
children in HighScope 20% more likely to have never been arrested, 30% more likely to have a high school diploma

Answer 12

Perry Pre-School Project - Welkart (Michigan)

Question 13

Many policies tackling crime were doomed - permanent jobs not created and anti-social behaviour policies did not create a sense of community

Answer 13

Young