Unit 2 Flashcards
Define Realism
Take crime seriously
Criminal activity can not be stopped- only reduced
Realistic way of controlling crime
An example of Left realism party
Communism, Green Party, socialists
An example party of right realism
Conservatives, nazis, UKIP
3 characteristics of Right realism
Individual
traditional
low taxation
self-sufficiency
choice and competition
economic freedom
Meritocracy
3 characteristics of left realism
Collectivism
progressive
Higher tax
Equality of opportunity
Job security
Helping the less fortunate
Definition of crime
Behaviour that breaks the law
Definition of deviance
Behaviour which goes against society norms
What is functionalism?
Theory of Durkheim
Explains the existence of crime as being a result of the structure of society- rather than as a result of individuals themselves
What did Durkheim mean when she said that crime was inevitable?
That crime is a normal aspect of social life and is present in all societies
For Durkheim, when might crime become dysfunctional?
Only when it’s rate is unusually high or low
David Fuller story
Killed 2 women- Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce- in 2 separate attacks in Tunbridge wells
1987
Right crime control solutions
Zero tolerance policing
Situational crime prevention
Broken windows
Underclass
Left crime control solutions
Focus on offender
Looks at crime on local level
Community policing
Strain theory 1938
By Merton
Everyone in society shares the same goals, but for some these goals are blocked.
Merton’s responses to cultural goals
1- conformity
2- innovation
3-ritualism
4-retreatism
5- rebellion
Meaning of conformity
Members of society that conform to success goals and the normal ways of reaching them
They strive for success by means of accepted channels
Eg common people
Meaning of innovation
This response rejects normative means of achieving success and turns to deviant means aka criminals
Meaning of ritualism
People are deviant because they have abandoned the common success goals
prevents them from turning to crime as they conform to social norms
Eg lower middle class, stuck in a rut
Meaning of retreatism
People who have strongly internalised cultural goals but are unable to achieve success eg tramps, addicts, drunks
Meaning of rebellion
Rejection of success goals and social means- replaces them with different goals
Broken windows theory
If something looks bad, it becomes worse
Visible signs of misbehaviour encourage further misbehaviour or disorder- leads to serious crimes
