Realist Theories (crime)

Question 1

fill the blanks. realists see crime as a ____ problem that needs to be tackled _______.

Answer 1

real problem
tackled directly / practically

Question 2

What do ALL realists believe regarding crime?

Answer 2

-other theories have failed to offer realistic solutions the to crime issue
-practical policies must be proposed to reduce crime
-theres been a significant rise in crime rate, particularly street crime
-concerned for the widespread fear of crime + impact on victims

Question 3

When did realist approaches first emerge?

Answer 3

1970s + 1980s

Question 4

NAME the 2 branches of realism

Answer 4

Left realism
Right realism

Question 5

Name 3 key right realist theorists

Answer 5

-Wilson
-Herrnstein
-Murray
-Clarke
-Kelling

Question 6

Name 3 key left realist theorists

Answer 6

-Young
-Lea
-Cohen
-Cloward & Ohlin

Question 7

What is the political context of right realism?

Answer 7

Closely match the New Right - neo conservative governments of the 70s and 80s. Thatcherism, President Reagan etc.

Question 8

How do right realists particularly criticise labelling theory / critical criminology in how they deal with crime?

Answer 8

These theories are too sympathetic to the offender

Question 9

NAME the 3 causes of crime that right realists identify

Answer 9

1) BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES
2) SOCIALISATION (& the underclass)
3) RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY

Question 10

which right realist theorists discuss Biological differences as a cause of crime?

Answer 10

Herrnstein
Murray

Question 11

Explain biological differences as a cause of crime according to right realists

Answer 11

Biological differences between individuals make some people innately more strongly predisposed to commit crime than others. For example, personality traits like aggressiveness put some people at greater risk of offending. Also, main cause of crime = low intelligence (biologically determined)

Question 12

which right realist theorists discuss socialisation as a cause of crime?

Answer 12

Charles Murray

Question 13

Explain socialisation as a cause of crime according to right realists

Answer 13

Effective socialisation decreases the risk of offending, since it involves learning self control + internalising moral values of right & wrong. For right realists, best agency of socialisation is nuclear family. Crime rate is increasing because of a growing underclass who fail to socialise their kids properly

Question 14

which right realist theorists discuss rational choice theory as a cause of crime?

Answer 14

Clarke
Wilson
Felson

Question 15

Explain rational choice theory as a cause of crime according to right realists

Answer 15

Individuals have free will + the power of reason. The decision to commit crime is a choice based on a rational calculation of the likely consequences. If the supply of legitimate opportunities is declining at the same time the cost of illegitimate opportunities was declining, crime is more rational. Offenders act rationally so that there is no presence of a capable guardian

Question 16

Give 2 criticisms of the right realist causes of crime

Answer 16

-assumes non nuclear families cannot socialise their children properly
-ignores structural causes of crime
- IQ statistics shown not to correlate with crime

Question 17

Do right realists believe that we should try to tackle the causes of crime?

Answer 17

No, instead they propose practical measures which makes crime less attractive

Question 18

NAME the 4 crime prevention policies that right realists propose to tackle crime

Answer 18

1) Target hardening (making buildings more difficult to target via CCTV, alarms etc)
2) Greater use of prison
3) Ensuring punishments follow soon after the offence
4) Zero Tolerance Approach( like broken windows theory)

Question 19

Which right realist theorists are responsible for the ‘broken windows approach’ ?

Answer 19

Wilson
Kelling

Question 20

summarise the Broken Windows approach presented by right realists

Answer 20

-we assume that no one cares about something that is broken and abandoned, and therefore it is an invite to break it further with no consequences (broken window)
-crime is more likely in neighbourhoods were there is less care and cleanliness
-therefore, to reduce crime, show that you care straight away. fix broken windows straight away. Pick up litter etc

Question 21

how can target hardening and zero tolerance approaches like the broken window theory be criticised?

Answer 21

could argue that it simply displaces the crime to other areas.

Question 22

give other criticisms of the right realist view on tackling crime

Answer 22

-too focused on petty crime, ignores corporate crime
-allows police to discriminate against certain groups
-doesn’t try to tackle the issues that lead to crime (structural)

Question 23

how do left realists criticise Marxists, Neo-Marxists and labelling theorists in their approaches to the crime issue?

Answer 23

Marxists: concentrate too much on crimes of the powerful + neglect working class crime
Neo-Marxists: romanticise working class criminals
Labelling: neglect the real victims of crime

Question 24

What is the political context of left realism?

Answer 24

1980s + 1990s - reformist socialists. Accentuated by Blair and Brown New Labour Governments.

Question 25

Fill the blank. Left realists argue that from the 1950s onwards there was a substantial increase in ______________________________.

Answer 25

increase in working class crime.

Question 26

What is an aetiological crisis? - according to Young

Answer 26

A crisis in explanation.

Question 27

How was the increase in crime from the 1950s onwards an aetiological crisis?

Answer 27

The influential theories at the time all failed to adequately explain the increase in crime.

Question 28

NAME the 3 causes of crime that left realists Lea and Young identify

Answer 28

1) Relative Deprivation 2) Subcultures 3) Marginalisation

Question 29

Explain Relative Deprivation as a cause of crime according to left realists

Answer 29

Although people are better off today, they are more aware of lative deprivation due to the media + advertising. Those who cannot afford material possessions may resort to crime. "The lethal combination is relative deprivation and individualism".

Question 30

Explain Subcultures as a cause of crime according to left realists

Answer 30

A subculture = a group's collective solution to the problem of relative deprivation. Criminal subcultures still subscribe to the values + goals of mainstream society, such as materialism & consumerism. However, opportunities to achieve these goals legitimately are blacked, so they resort to street crime instead.

Question 31

Explain Marginalisation as a cause of crime according to left realists

Answer 31

Marginalised groups lack both clear goals + organisations to represent their interests. Unemployed youth are marginalised. They have no organisation to represent them, and no clear goals, just a sense of resentment + frustration. Being powerless to use political means to improve their position, they express their frustration through crime like violence, rioting etc.

Question 32

In Young's case study of crime in Late Modernity, what are the characteristics of a late modern society that drive people to commit crime?

Answer 32

INSTABILITY (structurally + economically), INSECURITY, EXCLUSION.

Question 33

which previous theory is Young developing regarding crime in late modern society?

Answer 33

Merton's strain theory

Question 34

what other goals does Young suggest individuals are now trying to achieve through deviance, apart from money success?

Answer 34

1) they seek to achieve celebrity 2) seek a temporary emotional release from the anomic frustrations of coping with the usual contradictions & pressures of living in late-modernity.

Question 35

what are some examples of ways in which individuals attempt to achieve these new goals in late modernity? - Young

Answer 35

-extreme subcultures -drug use -binge drinking + violence at the weekends -one upmanship

Question 36

what is the second aetiological crisis that Young identifies?

Answer 36

second crisis fails to explain the fall in crime rate since the mid-1990s.

Question 37

Why does Young argue that crime is a social construction?

Answer 37

Crime may be continue to be seen as a big problem in society, even though crime rates have decreased. For example, 2014 Crime survey found that 61% of those surveyed thought crime had risen, not fallen (wrong).

Question 38

NAME the 2 policies that governments since the 1990s have introduced to 'define crime up'

Answer 38

ASBOs: Anti-social behaviour order IPNAs: Injunction to Prevent Nuisance + Annoyance

Question 39

what are ASBOs and IPNAs?

Answer 39

punishes low level deviant behaviour and restricts the individual + their behaviour.

Question 40

what are the 3 main issues with ASBOs & IPNAs? NAME them

Answer 40

1) Blurring the boundaries of crime 2) Subjective definitions 3) Flexibility

Question 41

how did ASBOs and IPNAs begin to blur the boundaries of crime?

Answer 41

-rude + unsociable behaviour starts to be seen as a 'crime'. -breaching as ASBO itself is a crime -this manufactures more crime

Question 42

explain the issue with ASBOs / IPNAs and subjective definitions

Answer 42

Anti-social behaviour has no objective definition, it is 'in the eye of the beholder'. It is therefore difficult to assess if it is truly increasing, as what truly counts as 'anti social behaviour'

Question 43

explain the issue with the flexibility of ASBOs

Answer 43

-ASBOs have been used against people wearing hoodies, making a noise, letting off fireworks, begging... etc -the net can constantly be widened to generate an almost endless number of crimes

Question 44

NAME the 2 main ways that left realists want to tackle crime

Answer 44

1) POLICING & CONTROL 2) STRUCTURAL CAUSES

Question 45

Explain Policing and Control as a way of tackling crime for left realists

Answer 45

-Police spend too little time investigating crime. The police depend on the public to provide them with info about crimes. However the police are loosing public support. -As a result, the flow of info dries up, and police rely on military policing, such as using random stop/search tactics. This alienates communities + causes more military policing. -Policing must be more accountable to local communities + deal with local concerns

Question 46

Explain Structural causes as a way of tackling crime for left realists

Answer 46

The causes of crime lie in the unequal structure of society, + major structural changes are needed to reduce crime. Must deal with the inequality of opportunity, tackle discrimination, provide decent jobs for everyone, improve housing etc.

Question 47

Give 2 strengths of the left realist approach to the crime issue

Answer 47

1) it draws attention to street crime 2) it draws attention to the victims/effects of street crime 3) it raises awareness of deprived groups + how they are more likely to be a victim of street crime

Question 48

Give 2 criticisms of the left realist approach to the crime issue

Answer 48

1) fails to explain corporate crime 2) rely too much on victim survey data + so cannot explain offenders' motives 3) over emphasises relative deprivation as a cause of crime 4) focuses too much on inner city crime, making crime a bigger problem than it really is.