Realist theories of crime

Question 1

Young

Answer 1

P – Define Aetiological crisis, link to 1st part of project ‘seriousness’
E – Crime has its roots in relative deprivation, people resent others due to feeling ‘relatively’ poorer
E – Young (1999)- combined with individualism, in pursuit of self-interest causes people to undermine the values of mutual support social solidarity
L – Leads to disintegration of families + networks, spiral of anti-social behaviour
E – Interactionists, LR rely on quant-data from victim surveys so cannot ascertain true motive

1999

Question 2

Cloward + Ohlin

Answer 2

P – Define Subculture
E – Cloward + Ohlin (xx)- blocked opportunity structure, collective solution to problem of RD/ mainstream goals
E – Subscribe to mainstream values of materialism + consumerism. Young (2002)- American dream adopted by all, legitimate opportunity blocked, resort to street crime to achieve rewards of, BMW, Nike, Gucci
L – Marginalised groups lack both clear goals + organisations to represent interests
E – Assumption that crime only exists due to value consensus (breakdown)

Question 3

Young

Answer 3

P – Define Late Modernity: Media saturation, Immediate gratification, Meritocratic myth
E – Post 1970 = Deindustrialisation, loss of unskilled jobs, higher unemployment, destabilising family life, exacerbated by marketisation promoting individualism
E – Young (2002)- contrast between cultural inclusion and economic exclusion, boundary of acceptability behaviour blurred, leading to certain groups disintegrating form society e.g. ASBOs used against fireworks, begging
L – While the crime rate has fallen, governments have created new crimes, leading to a high crime low tolerance society
E – Focuses on inner city crime, providing an unrepresentative view, showing crime to be a greater problem

(2002)

Question 4

Kinsey, Lea + Young

Answer 4

P – Offer solutions to the problem of crime
E – Kinsey, Lea + Young (1986)- police spend too little time investigating, believe public involvement necessary to determine priority
E – Police dependent on public for information (90% of crimes known), however losing public support, flow of info fries up, become reliant on ‘military policing’ leading to vicious circle
L – Multi agency approach needed for police to improve relationship and be more accountable for local communities
E – Right believe in a solution achieved via social order such as tougher policing

(1986)

Question 5

New Labour

Answer 5

P – Solution not just improved policing, but improving the structural causes
E – Deal with inequality in terms of opportunity to solve unequal structure of society: e.g. discrimination, employment, housing
E – Influence on New Labour policies 1997- 2010, tough on crime and causes, policing hate crimes, discrimination
L – Deal for unemployed youths to reverse risk of exclusion and offending
E – Doomed attempts to recreate ‘golden age’ in 1950s, only addressed symptoms (ASBOs), tougher on crime than causes

1997-2010