Realist theories of crime

Question 1

Right realist

Answer 1

share NR outlook support policies with a ‘get tough’ nstance on crime
- more police on the street

Question 2

RR 3 factors of crime

Answer 2

• bio differences
• inadequate soc
• individual rational choice to offend

Question 3

RR Biological differences
Wilson + herrnstein

Answer 3

put forward biosocial theory of criminal behaviour - crime caused by biological and social factor
nature v. nurture
herrnstein + murray - main cause of crime was low intelligence

Question 4

RR social change and the underclass - murray

Answer 4

crime rate increase bc the crowing underclass - fail to socialise kids properly increasing in UK ands US bc of welfare

Question 5

RR Rational choice theory clarke

Answer 5

decision to commit crime based on calculation of the consiquenses
‘risk v. reward’

Question 6

Criticisms of Right Realist

Answer 6

• ignores structural causes of poverty
• overstates offenders rationallity
  veiw of criminals as rational while also stating that offenders have low IQis contridictory

Question 7

Zero tolerance policy
wilson and kelling - broken window theory

Answer 7

law isn’t enforced in areas - looks like people don’t care as crime goes unreported

to prevent re offence in these areas like graffiti and vadalism should be sorted imidetly

Question 8

Zero tolerence - young

Answer 8

going big on the little things = keeping higher standards

Question 9

Zero tolerance - new york

Answer 9

crime rate had been falling since 1985 9yrs before zero tolerence
1994 zero tolerence - police and politicians wrongly claimed their crackdown on crime caused decline

Question 10

Criticisms of Zero tolerence

Answer 10

• preoccupied with petty street crime
• over emphasises control of disorder rather than tacklling cause of neigbourhood decline
• displacement of crime to other areas
• change in tactics

Question 11

Left Realist

Answer 11

are socialist + favour quite different methods supporting vunerable groups

Question 12

Aetiological crisis young

Answer 12

Crisis in explanation for theories of crime
Eg labelling theorist deny increase in crime was real argues that more people reporting crime
LR the increase was too great

Question 13

LR Relative deprivation lea and young

Answer 13

Crime roots in deprivation
Poverty rife in1930s but crime was low in 1950s living was high and so was crime

Question 14

LR Runimans

Answer 14

how deprived someone can feel in comparison to others or compared with their own expectations

Question 15

LR capitalist campaign

Answer 15

in todays society that is the reality especially with adverts and influencers of what you can have

Question 16

LR subcultures
Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 16

Blocked opportunities and subcultures as groups reaction to failure to achieve mainstream goals