Right Realism Explanations of Crime Flashcards
Overall Perspective
A negative view of human nature- that people are naturally selfish and greedy. These characteristics are the cause of crime and deviance. Humans need to be subject to social controls and socialised into appropriate behaviour.
Bentham: Utilitarianism
The idea that laws are for the benefit of the largest number of people. Every action any person took should be judged by how it aided/harmed the general public as a whole; with different sanctions for different crimes.
Any person who carried out acts that were detrimental to society should be punished with imprisonment.
Highlighted importance of surveillance.- those who were under surveillance would behave more obediently.
Ronald Clarke: Rational Choice Theory
The decision to commit crime is a choice based on a rational calculation of the potential consequences versus the potential rewards. If the rewards of crime appear to be greater than the potential costs, then people are more likely to commit the crime. People make a rational choice to commit criminal acts.
Bentham called the ‘weighing-up’ of the cost vs benefit Hedonistic Calculus = individuals calculating potential pleasure and pain of an action
Formal & Informal Deterrents (Social Control)
Rational Choice Theory emphasises the role of formal and informal deterrence. Together, these influence an individual’s decisions to engage in criminal behaviour. Clarke suggested that individuals are most influenced by informal rather than formal factors.
Formal: Police, courts, fines, probation, prisons
Informal: Family, friends, employment, community.
James Wilson: ‘Broken Window Thesis
Case study in Chicago
Argues that where there are examples of low level deviance e.g litter, graffiti, noise levels, vandalism etc. more serious crimes will follow.
Argues that there are 3 key factors affecting long-term crime:
Number of young males
Costs/benefits of crime
Inadequate socialisation
James Wilson: Target Hardening
This is a control approach to crime, and attempts to limit the frequency of crime by making potential targets more secure and less attractive to potential criminals, with the intention of deterring them.
E.g- alarms, cctv. Fences
Wilson & Herrnstein: Crime & Human Nature
There is a link between human nature and crime
There is a biological element to crime- some people are born with a predisposition towards crime.
The potential for deviant behaviour is more likely to be realised if they are not socialised properly. In close-knit nuclear families, children are social.
Charles Murray: Underclass & Crime:
Suggested the ‘excessive’ welfare state creates a dependency culture of people who do not work, and these have become an ‘underclass’
Welfare has become hijacked by a group of people with no intention of working (therefore, cannot be given the position of ‘working’ class)
Murray: 3 areas influencing crime within the underclass
- Fatherless Families- Absensce of father= kids are wild. Home life isn’t a stable environment for kids
- Rising Working Class Crime Rates- People turn to peers to gain masculinity- follow the only male role models and turn to crime
- High Levels Of Unemployment- Young fathers can’t support so they don’t marry
They prove themselves through crime instead of paid work.
Hirschi : Self-Control Theory of Crime
Lack of individual self control is the main factor behind criminal behaviour
Individuals- ineffectually parented- less self-control, compared to others with better parenting
Low levels of self-control are correlated with criminal and impulsive conduct
Walter Reckless: Containment Theory
Inner containment- A person’s self-conception or self image of being a good person is an insulator against peer pressure to engage in delinquency. Developed through family-formed in the early teenage years.
Outer Containment- A reflection of strong social relationships (e.g- teachers)
