Topic 4 - Realist theories

Question 1

Why did Left Realism develop? (2 main factors)

Answer 1

1 - The need to take rising crime rate seriously and find solutions
2 - Due to the influence of right realism on govt. policy

Question 2

How do Left Realists criticise Marxist and Neo-Marxist approaches?

Answer 2

• Don’t take w/c crime seriously
• Romanticize w/c criminals as ‘robin hood’ characters
• Failing to take victimization seriously
• Have no practical policies in reducing crime

Question 3

Who did Left Realists argue are the real victims of crime? + Lea and Young

Answer 3

NOT the rich but actually the w/c
E.g Lea and Young found that in the poorer areas of London you are 4x more likely to be mugged

Question 4

What do Left Realists believe is to blame for crime occuring?

Answer 4

Structural inequality

Question 5

How do LR think crime should be reduced?

Answer 5

Greater social equality and a stronger sense of community

Question 6

What are Lea and Young 3 causes of crime?

Answer 6

Relative deprivation
Marginalisation
Subcultures

Question 7

What is relative deprivation?

Answer 7

People feeling deprived in relation to others - helps explain m/c crime

Question 8

What is subcultures according to LR?

Answer 8

Groups which do actually subscribe to value and goals of mainstream society but due to blocked opportunities turn to crime.

Question 9

What is marginalisation - LR?

Answer 9

Marginalised groups lack clear goals and organisation to represent their interest making them powerless
Express frustration through crime

Question 10

What are the 2 solutions to crime according to LR?

Answer 10

1. Improve the relationship between local communities and the police
2. Tackle structural inequality in society

Question 11

Weaknesses to LR

Answer 11

PM - too deterministic
Marxists - Doesn’t explain corporate crimes/ white collar
RR - Criminals make rational choices before committing a crime

Question 12

Who speaks about relative deprivation?

Answer 12

Runciman

Question 13

Is LR or RR more harsh?

Answer 13

RR

Question 14

What are 2 key features of RR?

Answer 14

Social order is CRUCIAL
Focuses on practical crime control measures

Question 15

RR 3 causes of crime?

Answer 15

The rational choice theory
Biological differences
Socialisation and the underclass

Question 16

RR idea of rational choices

Answer 16

Clarke argue that the decision to commit crime is a choice based on rational calculation of the likely consequences

Question 17

How does biological differences according to RR explain crime?

Answer 17

Biological differences make some people innately more strongly predisposed to commit crime than others

Question 18

How does socialisation and the underclass explain crime?

Answer 18

Charles Murray argues that the crime rate is increasing because of a growing underclass that is defined by their deviant behaviour

Question 19

What the RR 2 main approaches to preventing crime?

Answer 19

ECP - Environmental crime prevention
SCP - Situational Crime Prevention

Question 20

What is Environmental Crime Prevention - RR?

Answer 20

Broken Windows Theory - there must be no sign of any crimes otherwise it could lead to more crimes

Question 21

What is situational crime prevention?

Answer 21

Reduce the opportunities to commit crime so criminals don’t have the option to make ‘rational decisions’ - More surveillance, more police etc.

Question 22

AO2 - The port authority bus terminal

Answer 22

Felson - The toilets and area was a setting for luggage thefts and drug dealing so the place was reshaped to design out crime

Question 23

Evaluation of RR

Answer 23

• Ignore the wider structural causes such as poverty/capitalism
• Ignores corporate crime