Realist theories of crime

Question 1

Wilson and Herrnstein

Answer 1

Biology makes you more likely to commit crimes - eg. aggressiveness

Question 2

Murray

Answer 2

dependency on welfare state has create a new underclass- they don’t socialise children properly- they commit crimes due to this.

Question 3

Clarke

Answer 3

The decision to commit crime is based on rational thought. If rewards outweigh the costs if caught then they will commit crime.

Question 4

Wilson and Kelling’s - Broken windows

Answer 4

any signs of crime must be gotten rid of immediately, this will reduce all crime as people don’t see it as acceptable as it is no where to be seen. Also makes law abiding citizens feel safe.

Question 5

Lea and Young- relative deprivation

Answer 5

due to media etc, people are more aware of relative deprivation, they want what the media shows as the best, they then resent others and commit crime to gain these items.

Question 6

Young- late modernity

Answer 6

capitalism fils people with the goals of mainstream society but it denies some people the opportunity to achieve them within legitimate means.

Question 7

Kinsey, Lea and Young

Answer 7

Military policing- police depend on public to them where crime is happening, but the police are losing public support. So now they have to use stop and search and sweeping tactics to find crime (military policing).this then leads to further lack of public support- a cycle
Police need to improve public relations, need to re prioritise crimes- look at discrimination
also need a multi agency approach.