Right Realism

Question 1

Main ideas:

Answer 1

Sees crime especially street crime as a growing problem that destroys communities.

Regard theories such as labelling as too sympathetic

Less concerned to understand the causes of crime and more concerned about providing realistic solutions.

Question 2

Explain causes of crime:

Answer 2

Reject idea put forward by Marxists and others such as poverty and inequality.

For RR, it’s a product of 3 factors.

Question 3

RR: crime is a product of what 3 factors?

Answer 3

Biological differences

Socialisation and underclass

Rational choice theory

Question 4

Explain biological differences:

Answer 4

Wilson and herrnstein: put forward a bio social theory of criminal behaviour. Crime is caused by biological and social factors.

Personality traits like aggressiveness are more likely to offend- biological factor

Herrnstein arugula that main cause of crime is low intelligence, biologically determined.

Question 5

Explain socialisation and underclass:

Answer 5

Effective socialisation decreases Rick of offending as it involved self control and having moral values of right and wrong.

RR think best way is from a nuclear family.

Murray argues crime rate is increasing due to growing underclass.

Lone mothers alone - ineffective socialisation especially for boys.

Question 6

Explain rational choice theory:

Answer 6

Assumes that individuals have free will and power of reason

Clarke argues that the decision to commit crime is a choice based on rational calculation of likely consequences.

RR argue that perceived costs of crime are low so this is why crime rate has increased.

Question 7

Criticisms of RR:

Answer 7

Ignores wider structural cases such as poverty

Views criminals as rational actors freely choosing crime conflicts with its claim that their behaviour is determined by biology and socialisation. (Over emphasised)

Question 8

Explain tackling crime:

Answer 8

RR believe cannot be easily changed as biological and socialisation are included

Crime prevention should reduce rewards and increase Scot of crimes

Question 9

Zero tolerance:

Answer 9

Argues that it is essential to maintain the orderly character of neighbourhoods to prevent crime taking hold.

Question 10

Criticisms of zero tolerance:

Answer 10

Preoccupied with petty street crime and ignores corporate crime - costly and harmful

Overemphasises