Right realism and crime Flashcards
How do Right realists see crime and how do they want to reduce it?
a growing problem, the best way to reduce it is through control and punishment rather than by rehabilitating offenders or tackling causes such as poverty
What are the 3 factors of crime?
biological differences between individuals, inadequate socialisation and offending is a rational choice
What is biological differences between individuals?
personality traits associated with criminality such as aggressiveness. risk taking and low intelligence
What is Inadequate socialisation?
effective socialisation can reduce the chances of someone offending by teaching them self-control and correct values
What does Murray state about the nuclear family?
it is undermined by generous welfare benefits, led to a steady rise in the number of welfare-dependent lone parent families
What is the underclass?
people who fail to socialise their children properly, absent fathers mean that boys lack discipline and an appropriate male role model because they do not see a man who works hard to support his family
What is rational choice theory(RCT)?
assumes we are rational beings with free will
deciding to commit crime is a choice based on a rational calculation of the consequences, weighing the risks/ costs against the rewards and benefits
Why is the crime rate high?
the perceived costs of crime are low, criminals see little risk of being caught and don’t expect to receive severe punishments even if they are convicted
What are the three factors that are necessary for a crime to occur, Felson’s routine activity theory?
a motivated offender
a suitable target
the absence of a ‘capable guardian’
What are the strengths of Right realism?
Feldman found that people made rational decisions, if the rewards were high and ricks low, they said the crime was worth committing
Bennett and Wright interviewed convicted burglars, they considered the potential reward, difficulty of breaking in and risk of being caught
may explain opportunistic petty crimes
What are the limitations of Right realism?
Rettig and Feldman’s studies were experiments so the results may not apply to real offenders, Bennet and Wright studied unsuccessful burglars, not all crimes are the result of rational decisions as violent crimes are often impulsive
