LR tackle crime Flashcards
Policing and control
They argue that the public must become more involved in determining the police’s priorities & style of policing.
The police depend on the public to provide them with information about crimes However, the police are losing public support, especially in the inner cities & among ethnic minorities & the young. As a result, the flow of information dries up & the
police come to rely instead on military policing, such as ‘swamping’ an area & using random stop & search tactics. This alienates communities & becomes a vicious circle.
Left realists argue that policing must therefore be made more accountable to local communities & must deal with local concerns to improve their relationship. They need to spend more time investigating crime, change their priorities (e.g. less focus on minor drug crime & more on racist attacks & domestic violence) & involve the public in making police policy
Need a multi-agency approach
Left realists argue that crime control cannot be left to the police alone & that a multi-agency approach is needed. This would involve agencies such as social services, housing departments, schools, voluntary agencies, victim support, etc., as well as the public all working together to share information & resources to tackle crime more effectively.
AO3: This idea would involve enormous cost & change in attitudes & behaviour across a great number of agencies. This would take a huge re-organisation of big institutions, linked ICT programmes, etc.
Tackling the structural causes
Left realists believe that the causes of crime lie in the unequal structure of society & major structural changes are needed if we want to reduce levels of offending. E.g. Young argues that we must deal with inequality of opportunity & the unfairness of rewards, tackle discrimination, provide decent jobs for everyone, & improve housing & community facilities.
AO3: Marxists would argue that only a revolution could truly bring about change. The structural changes suggested by left realists would never be possible in a capitalist society as there will always be enormous opposition from the political right.
