Right Realist theories Flashcards
What do right realist theories say about crime and deviance?
Right realist sociologists believe that criminals and deviants are responsible for their actions and freely choose to do them
This means they tend to favour harsh punishment and want to make examples of offenders; to deter others from making poor choices
What do Right Realists think about a value consensus?
Value consensus and objective morality underpin society Society only functions properly when there is strong social order, and this must be vigorously defended
What do Right Realists think about individuals?
All people are selfish, we can’t trust individuals to make good choices if they can get away with crimes
This means we need harsh punishment to deter people
What do Right Realists argue about community control?
If the government exerts enough control over its citizens then crime will decrease
We can embed behaviours we want in education and family policy to increase control
What is Rational Choice Theory?
Criminals know what they’re doing, realise it’s wrong, and choose to do it regardless
They don’t deserve sympathy and can’t be easily reasoned with
Cornish & Clarke (1986) recommend heavy policing, harsh punishments and making examples of those caught
What is Opportunity Theory?
People choose to commit crime only when there’s a good cost/benefit opportunity or it’s easy
We can reduce crime by removing opportunities
What is The Underclass according to Murray (1990)?
Murray suggests there is a whole layer of society occupied by lazy, disenfranchised, deviant and irresponsible people
They are a burden on society and must be forced to change Murray thought the biggest source of crime was “dadless families” living in “broken communities”
Why do Right Realists argue crime will always exist?
Right realists believe crime is a natural part of society’s structure
The underclass will always be criminal, even if its membership changes, and white-collar crime isn’t as serious because it doesn’t directly affect individuals
Left realists are wrong to look at social construction because this is an explanation rather than a cause
