Realist theories of crime

Question 1

what do left and right realists focus on

Answer 1

focus on finding a solution to crime have had a big influence on social policy in britain and america.

Question 2

what is the realist theory

Answer 2

• crime is a problem, not just social construction
• there has been significant rise in crime esp street crime
• concerned about how widespread it is
• other theorists have failed to other realistic solutions

Question 3

how does right realism (neo conventional) see crime

Answer 3

• crime is a real problem- destroys communities undermines social cohesion and threatens work ethic
• right realists approach very influential ‘zero tolerance’ policies
  less concerned about causes of crime reduction policies

Question 4

what three factors do right realists argue is a product of crime

Answer 4

• biological differences
• socialisation and the underclass
• rational choice theory

Question 5

what do Wilson and Herrnstein say about biological differences being a cause of crime

Answer 5

traits such as aggressiveness, extroversion and low intelligence makes some people strongly predisposed to commit crime

Question 6

why is socialisation and the underclass seen as a cause of crime

Answer 6

effective socialisation decreases the risk of deviance. Murray argues that crime is increasing due to ‘new rabble’ who are defined by deviant behaviour and don’t socialize kids

Question 7

why is rational choice theory seen as a cause of crime

Answer 7

Clarke- decision to commit crime is a choice based on rational calculation. If rewards outweigh the costs. people likely to offend. punishment is lenient, crime rates have risen
- ferson presence of guardian defers crime

Question 8

what is A03 for right realists causes of crime

Answer 8

• ignores structural causes like poverty
• doesnt explain compulsive crime
• over emphaises biological eg 3% difference in Q

Question 9

what is said about tackling crime

Answer 9

• crime prevention policies should reduce rewards of crime and increase costs ‘ target hardneing’

Question 10

what did wilson and kelling say about tackling crime

Answer 10

‘broken windows’ : any sign of deteriation such as vandalism should be dealt with immediately zero tolerance policies, police patrolling streets led to huge crime reduction in new York

Question 11

what is said about the urban myth

Answer 11

young- zero tolerance is a myth paddles by politicians to take the credit for failing crime

• ignored corporate crime
• gave police free reign to discriminate

Question 12

what sociologists have not taken crime seriously

Answer 12

1. marxists: concentrated on corporate crime
2. neo marxists: romanticise WC criminals
3. labelling theorists: neglect real victims

Question 13

what is the Aetiological crisis

Answer 13

1950s increase in crime, lead to a crisis in exploitation , some argued it was an increase in reporting. Cite BCS and VS disadvantaged groups likely to be victims

Question 14

what do lea and young say about what causes crime

Answer 14

• relative deprivation
• subculture
• marginalisation

Question 15

what do lea and young say about relative deprivation

Answer 15

how deprived someone is in relation to others. this can lead to crime when they resent others for unfairly having more resulting in crime.

Question 16

what does young say about relative deprivation

Answer 16

not just the only reason for crime but the combination of relative deprivation and individualisation

Question 17

what do left realists say about subculture

Answer 17

subculture is a groups reaction to the problem of relative deprivation. but different groups may produce different subculture groups eg some may turn to religion

Question 18

how do marginalised groups cause crime

Answer 18

unemployed youths are marginalised, they have no clear goals but a sense of resentment and frustration. being powerless to express their goals they result to crime

Question 19

what did young say about late modernity

Answer 19

argues that we are in a stage where crime is getting worse as things are unstable

Question 20

what do left realists say about policing and control

Answer 20

argues that police clear up rates are too low to stop crim, also police spend to little time investigating crime. They argue that the public must help stop crime

Question 21

what do left realists argue about military policing

Answer 21

the police rely on the public to help with policing but the public no longer trust the police and give them information so the police resort to military policing

Question 22

what do left realist say about givermnent policy

Answer 22

left realists have more influence on government policy than most theorists of crime

Question 23

evaluation of left realism

Answer 23

• interactionists argue that, because left relists rely on quantitaive data from victim surveys, they cannot explain victims data
• it focuses on high crime inner city areas gives an unrepresentative view and make crime appear as a much bigger problem

Question 24

what are the differences between left realists and right

Answer 24

left realists:
- blame structural inequalities
- prioritise justice
right realists
- blame lack of individual lack of self control
- prioritise social order + tough stances