SOC - Right Realism & Crime

Question 1

Right Realism

Answer 1

• Originated by James Q Wilson

- a negative view of human nature (that people are naturally selfish and greedy).

Question 2

Charles Murray

Answer 2

• the underclass are particularly insufficiently integrated into society’s norms and values.
• Welfare has contributed to the increase in single parent families, with more young males growing up with no male role model to guide them. Murray describes this as inadequate socialisation.

Question 3

what are the underclass prone to ?

Answer 3

• criminal tendencies
• violence
• educational failure
• welfare dependency.

Question 4

Right Realist solutions to crime

Answer 4

• Reduce opportunities for offending.
• Tough punishment: heavy fines, sentences and advocation of corporal (physical) and capital (death sentence) punishment.

Question 5

Clarke and Coleman (1980)

Answer 5

Rational Choice Theory

Question 6

Rational Choice Theory

Answer 6

Similar to Jeremy Bentham’s concept of utilitarianism

• criminals will engage in crime if the benefits outweigh the costs.
• The solution is simple: increase the costs of crime (likelihood of being caught and tougher punishments).
• Free-will

Question 7

Murray Evaluation

Answer 7

Issues with social sensitivity, as it blames sing mothers for rising crime rates

Question 8

Clarke Evaluation

Answer 8

Ignores our morals, most of us do not offend as we feel guilty for the victim

Question 9

Wilson and Hernstein

Answer 9

Biosocial theories
- testosterone increases aggression and impulsivity
- we must be socialised through the family to control these impulses
single parent/wc families were not teaching young males to control their behaviour.

Question 10

Wilson and Hernstein Eval.

Answer 10

• Elements of this theory are objective and can be measured. we know testosterone increases aggression
• The social element to this theory is biased, subjective and creates a harsh view of wc families.