Topic 4 Realism

Question 1

What is the left realism theory?

Answer 1

• Left wing, labour approach
• they see inequality in a capitalist society as the cause of crime
• the main perpetrators and victims are the working class and ethnic minority groups
• Lea Young identify three related causes of crime

Question 2

According to left realists Lea and Young, what are the three causes of crime?

Answer 2

• Relative deprivation
• Marginalisation
• Subcultures

Question 3

According to Left realists, Lea and young, how does relative deprivation cause crime?

Answer 3

• The poor feel deprived, they’re not getting what they should, they start to compare themselves to others.
• leads to a ‘bulimic society’ as they feel starved
• a feeling of relative deprivation can make people turn to crime a a way of redressing balance or as a way of venting frustrations
• the feelings of relative deprivation are increasing as a result of materialism and social media

Question 4

According to left realists Lea and Young, how does marginalisation lead to criminality?

Answer 4

• Marginalisation happens to groups in society when they are ignored or overlooked.
• They become frustrated and feel they have no power over the way people are treating them.
• Leads to confrontation with authority

Question 5

According to Left realists Lea and Young how do subcultures lead to criminality?

Answer 5

• Joining a subculture is a way to deal with relative deprivation and marginalisation. Makes them feel less isolated
• They engage in criminal behaviour in these subcultures
• They all have a perception that society doesn’t value them. Leading to them dealing with this in a criminal manner

Question 6

Give 2 strengths of the Left realism theory

Answer 6

• provides an explanation that covers all social classes and a variety of different offences
• Draws attention to the importance of inequality in society and importance of fixing this to reduce crime

Question 7

Give 3 weaknesses of the Left realism theory?

Answer 7

• None of the reasons explain honour crime
• Right realists would criticise for being too soft as there is little focus on punishment
• Does not explain why everyone who been has marginalised/ feels relative deprivation does not turn to crime

Question 8

What crime control policy is informed by the left realist theory?

Answer 8

• Prevent
• A multi agency approach to preventing terrorism
• Left realists argue that crime must involve many other agencies apart from the police
• Community policing

Question 9

Give a strength to Prevent - the left realist crime control policy

Answer 9

• successfully prevented people being drawn into terrorism
• 4 ISIS members arrested in Germany

Question 10

Give 4 weaknesses to Prevent - the left realist crime control policy

Answer 10

• been accused of mainstream discrimination, Muslims are more likely to be referred
• Innocent people are being referred to the programme
• Undermines the relationship between teachers and pupils who feel they have a legal duty to ‘spy’
• Not everyone is aware of terrorist ideologies (eg teachers have to report and they may not be aware) makes it inconsistent

Question 11

What is the right realist theory/

Answer 11

• right wing, conservation outlook
• They reject Marxist and left realist ideas
• There are biological reasons why people commit crime eg brain abnormality, and inadequate socialisation and offending as a rational choice

Question 12

According to right realists what are the three reasons for crime?

Answer 12

• Biological reasons - brain abnormality
• Inadequate socialisation - lack of male role model causes boys to become delinquent, single parents are to blame, there is a growing underclass of non workers dependent on benefits.
• Offending as a rational choice - deciding to commit crime is based on careful calculation. they argue crime rate is high because perceived costs of crime are too low. Criminals see little risk of getting caught

Question 13

Give 3 strengths of the right realist theory?

Answer 13

• has informed government policy on crime (penal populism)
• offers practical approaches to reducing crime (target hardening)
• Bennet and Wright interviewed burglars and found evidence of crime being a rational choice.

Question 14

Give 3 weaknesses of the right realist theory?

Answer 14

• Offending is not always a rational choice - crime is often committed under the influence of drugs and alcohol and they don’t have the mental stability for it to be rational
• Considered discriminatory towards certain groups, which may perpetuate existing prejudice in society
• Criticised by left realists for their heavy focus on individuals

Question 15

What crime control policy has been informed by right realists?

Answer 15

• They argue policies need to focus on preventing offenders making the choice to commit crime
• Target hardening (situational crime prevention) - involves making a crime more difficult to commit
• Penal populism