Right Realism Perspective Flashcards
R/R Intro
Agency Based theory: People have an agency & choose to commit crime
Influential in UK & USA
Developed as a critique of previous sociological theory
R/R View on Crime
Crime = committed by bad people (ABT)
R/R does not deal with causes of crime (believe these cannot be changed)
People are naturally greedy & selfish
Control & Punishment > Rehabilitation & tackling underlying causes
- Practical solutions to reduce crime
R/R Causes of Crime
Biological Differences
Socialisation & the Underclass
Rational Choice Theory
R/R Causes: Bio Differences
Wilson & Herrnstein: Biological theory of crime
- Crime = caused by a combination of bio & social factors
- Bio differences make some more predisposed to crime (Personality traits - Aggression / Risk-taking / Extroversion)
MAIN CAUSE OF CRIME = LOW INTELLIGENCE
:( Burt (Creator of IQ test) - Falsified IQ tests: lack validity, not a good measurement of intelligence
:( Lilly - IQ differences only account for 3% of offenders
R/R Causes: Socialisation & the Underclass (Underclass)
MURRAY
Crime = rising due to rising growth of an underclass - defined by deviant behaviour: fail to properly socialise their children
Underclass = growing to culture of welfare dependency
Underclass threatens social cohesion because it undermines the values of hard work & personal responsibility
R/R Causes: Socialisation & the Underclass (Socialisation)
Nuclear family = best agency of socialisation
Nuclear fam = being undermined by the welfare state
- Dependency culture = men no longer need to take responsibility for supporting their families: ABSENT FATHERS = boys lack discipline & pos role models -> turn to delinquent role models
:) - M.P Nick Fletcher - Boys commit crime because positive role models on TVC have been replaced by female characters (Dr. Who)
:( - More male M.P. = act as positive role models for boys
R/R Causes: Rational Choice Theory
Ppl make a rational choice on committing crime based on their situation
- Ind have F/W and the power of reason
CLARKE: Committing a crime = a choice based on a rational calculation of likely consequences
- Rewards outweigh risks = increased likelihood of offending
R/R - Cost of crime = perceived to be low -> reason for crime rate increase
- Harsh punishment would lead less people to commit crime
:( - Death penalty is a deterrent to commit crime: people still on death row
R/R Solutions to crime
Situational Crime Prevention
Environmental Crime Prevention
Zero Tolerance Policy
R/R Crime Prevention: Situational Crime Prevention
Protecting specific targets from potential crime
- Putting window locks on windows
- Putting CCTV in shops
R/R Crime Prevention: Environmental Crime Prevention
Focus on making whole neighbourhoods / larger areas more crime resistant
- Putting more police on the street
- Adopting a zero tolerance approach to minor crime
R/R Crime Prevention: Zero Tolerance Policy
Strictly enforcing penalties for relatively minor crimes / anti-social behaviour
- Begging / Littering / Drug possession
R/R Cohen & Felson
Routine Activities Theory
PREVENTED CRIME: social control mechanisms / lack of opportunity to commit / risk of getting caught
3 Conditions needed for crime to occur:
1. Ind who are motivated to offend
2. The availability of opportunity & targets
3. The lack of capable guardians (police / parents) who may prevent crime from occuring
R/R Wilson & Kelling
BROKEN WINDOW THESIS:
Comparison made to broken window - if not fixed = robbery
Minor incivilities not repaired = more serious crime
- Zero tolerance = clampdown by the police of all serious crimes including incivilities
R/R :( Evaluation
- Ignores structural causes of crime (poverty)
- Overstates cost/benefit analysis - doesn’t explain violent crime
- View that all criminals = rational conflicts with bio theories
- Zero tolerance gives police opportunities to discriminate against minorities
