Right realism

Question 1

How do realism theories differ from labelling theory?

Answer 1

Labelling sees crime as socially constructed - realists see crime as a real problem, especially for its victims and they propose practical policies to reduce crime

Question 2

What are Right Realists approaches?

Answer 2

• Share a conservative view, New Right political outlook
• ‘zero tolerance’
• Reject the idea that structural factors such as poverty causes crime

Question 3

What is Biological Differences?

Answer 3

Wilson and Hernstein - crime is caused by a combination of biological and social factors e.g. heightened aggression or low intelligence

Question 4

Biological differences A03

Answer 4

• Unlike many other perspectives, Right Realism has had a genuine effect on government responses to crime e.g. David Cameron’s response to the 2011 riots

Question 5

What are the 4 Right realist explanations of crime?

Answer 5

1. Biological differences
2. Inadequate socialisation
3. Rational choice theory
4. Routine Activity Theory

Question 6

What is Inadequate socialisation (Murray)?

Answer 6

Nuclear family is being undermined by the welfare state
- Creates a dependency culture
- These people form an underclass and fail to socialise their children into shared norms and values

Question 7

Inadequate socialisation A03

Answer 7

Marxism -> crimogenic capitalism
- it isn’t family that causes crime but class, due to exploitation and inequality on the working class

Question 8

What is Rational Choice theory (Clarke)?

Answer 8

Individuals are rational beings with free will
- deciding to commit crime is a choice based on rational calculation
- if the rewards of the crime outweigh the consequences, people are likely to offend e.g. little risk of being caught and lenient punishments

Question 9

Rational choice theory A03

Answer 9

may explain some utilitarian crime but doesn’t explain violent crime

Question 10

What is Routine Activity Theory (Felson)?

Answer 10

for crime to occur, there must be a motivated offender, a suitable target and the absence of a ‘capable guardian e.g. neighbour or police

Question 11

What are the two Right Realist solutions to reduce crime and deviance

Answer 11

1. Zero Tolerance policing
2. ZTP - Broken Windows

Question 12

What is Zero Tolerance policing?

Answer 12

• Police should focus on controlling the streets so law-abiding citizens feel safe
• Cracking down on minor deviance such as begging and prostitution to create an environment where the community knows law and order is taken seriously

Question 13

Example of Zero Tolerance policing

Answer 13

California - 3 strikes = 25 years in prison

Question 14

Zero Tolerance policing A03

Answer 14

Marxists - ignores crime of the wealthy, police are selectively enforcing the law and punishing the WC’s serverely for crime as their crime is much easier to observe than complex corporate crime of the RC’s

Question 15

What is Broken Windows?

Answer 15

Wilson and Kelling - must keep neighbourhoods orderly to prevent crime taking hold - any sign of deterioration must be dealt with immediately to send the message that deviance will not be tolerated

Question 16

When was this broken windows approach previously used?

Answer 16

New York city in late 1980’s to early 1990’s - successfully reduced the crime rate of low level and professional crime

Question 17

Broken Windows A03

Answer 17

Labelling theory - local communities and individuals are targeted based on the stereotypical assumptions the police have about who commits these ‘anti-social’ crimes of drug taking, vandalism and graffiti

Question 18

Target Hardening

Answer 18

Making the consequence much higher for all crime to prevent crime as people are less Motivated to commit the crime.

Question 19

Target Hardening AO3:

Answer 19

This results in the displacement of crime rather than preventing it.