Realist theories on crime (left and right)

Question 1

what are the three causes of crime according to lea and young ?

Answer 1

relative deprivation
marginalisation
subculture

Question 2

what does relative deprivation refer to?

Answer 2

how deprived people feel, however due to those at a disadvantage being surrounded by those with more material success nowadays, people feel they are taking what is theirs

Question 3

what is an idea to support r/d?

Answer 3

explains why crime rates are higher in lse areas surrounded by hse areas

Question 4

what is an argument against r/d?

Answer 4

fails to look at harm caused by white-collar crime

Question 5

what does subculture refer to?

Answer 5

if your relatively deprived , you may join a group that are also relatively deprived so you have similar values, this may or may not cause you to turn to crime

Question 6

what are arguments against the s/c view?

Answer 6

reliant on quantitative data so individual experiences are ignored and assumed irrelevant

Question 7

what are examples of peaceful and criminal subcultures?

Answer 7

peaceful- rastas

criminal- gang

Question 8

what are support for s/c theory?

Answer 8

would explain why there are more gangs in lse areas

Question 9

what is known as marginalisation?

Answer 9

lack clear goals and organisations to represent their interests e.g. those on benefits struggle due to lack of qualifications

Question 10

what ideas support marginalisation?

Answer 10

explains why re-offending rates are so high, as ex-offenders are often denied reintegration into society e.g. people will judge and therefore not employ them (easier to go back to prison)

Question 11

what did young say?

Answer 11

some people faced blocked opportunities , so turn to crime in order to succeed e.g. easy money

Question 12

what did Wilson and hernstein propose

Answer 12

the bio-social theory for crime

Question 13

what is the bio-social theory of crime

Answer 13

some people are predisposed to commit crime

Question 14

whats an example of the bio-social theory?

Answer 14

young males with testosterone will be impulsive and aggressive , w/c are less likely told how to control this , were as an old lady is not as capable or out of control

Question 15

what is an evaluation of this study? (w+h)

Answer 15

explain why offending rates are so high for young males

Question 16

what does murray suggest ?

Answer 16

explain crime through inadequate socialisation

some groups are not socialised to fit in with the value consensus of society

Question 17

what an example for murray?

Answer 17

he describes the underclass as not being law-abiding or teaching their children to obey the rules of society

Question 18

what is an evaluation of murray ?

Answer 18

ignores structural inequalities which some may argue are inevitable influences on crime e.g. hirshi ties to society
may explain why crime rates are highest among working class males

Question 19

what did Clarke suggest?

Answer 19

he proposed rational choice theory - offenders choose to commit a crime by weighing up the benefits and consequences

Question 20

what examples are used to support clarkes theory ?

Answer 20

offending is more likely to occur in areas with less supervision (no police presence , cctv , less consequence)

Question 21

what is some evaluation of Clarke ?

Answer 21

overstates how rational we are in committing crime e.g. violence is usually not rational
however offers a solution , increasing surveillance will increase the consequence

Question 22

what do Wilson and kelling suggest?

Answer 22

argues that unless ‘uncivilities’ (litter, grafetti) are kept minimal , then wider anti-social behaviour and more serious crimes will follow