Realist Theories of Crime Flashcards

1
Q

What was left realism developed from?

A

Developed from weaknesses of Marxists views of crime which:

  • romanticised offenders
  • ignored victims
  • ignores the cause of crime
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2
Q

What do left realists argue crime is caused by?

A

Caused by structural inequalities in society

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3
Q

What three factors have left realists identified as causes of crime?

A

Relative deprivation

Marginalisation

Subcultures

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4
Q

What is relative deprivation?

A

Being deprived in relation to others

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5
Q

What is relative deprivation encourage by?

A

The media

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6
Q

What is cultural inclusion and economic exclusion?

A

Cultural inclusion - media advertising includes everyone

Economic exclusion - many are excluded from buying products due to poverty

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7
Q

Why might cultural inclusion and economic exclusion increase crime?

A

May turn to crime to get the economic goods, particularly when connected with individualism

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8
Q

What is marginalisation?

A

Refers to social groups who are pushed to the edges of society and left out

e.g. unemployed - no one to represent their interests?

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9
Q

What does marginalisation cause?

A

Causes resentment and frustration which can lead to non-utilitarian crimes

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10
Q

Why do left realists argue some may turn to subcultures?

A

Some people may turn to a subculture to resolve their feelings of relative deprivation or marginalisation

Could lead to either utilitarian or non-utilitarian crimes

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11
Q

What are left realists solutions to tackle crime?

A

Improve policing - more police accountability, strong relationships with the local community, multi-agency approach

Tackle structural inequalities - i.e. poverty through improved education and job opportunities, better housing etc.

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12
Q

What are the criticisms of left realists views of crime?

A

Recognises the impact crime can have on its victims

Marxists argue left realists focus too much on street crime and ignore corporate crime

Not everyone who is marginalised or experiences relative deprivation responds with crime

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13
Q

What do right realists believe crime is based on?

A

Believe crime is based on rational choice

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14
Q

What are right realists concerned with?

A

Concerned with the growing underclass

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15
Q

Who are the underclass?

A

The underclass are people at the bottom of the social ladder who are welfare-dependent and fail to socialise their children properly

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16
Q

What are the two main right realist approaches to crime prevention?

A

Situational crime prevention

Environmental crime prevention

17
Q

What does Clarke argue the aim of situational crime prevention is?

A

Argue it aims to make crime less attractive by increasing the risks and reducing the benefits of committing a criminal act

Based on rational choice theory

18
Q

What are the two types of situational crime prevention?

A

Target hardening

Surveillance

19
Q

What is target hardening?

A

Reducing the opportunities to offend by making it physically harder to commit crime

e.g. alarms, anti-climb pain

20
Q

What is surveillance?

A

Increasing the risk of making the criminal more likely to be seen

e.g. CCTV, neighbourhood watch etc.

21
Q

What are the weaknesses of situational crime prevention?

A

Causes displacement- people commit crimes somewhere where there’s no surveillance

Assumes crimes are rational - not all are calculated and planned e.g. crimes of passion

22
Q

What does Wilson argue about crime and social disorder?

A

Argues crime and social disorder are closely linked

23
Q

What is the broken window theory?

A

If one window is left broken, more broken windows will appear

Solution - repair broken windows, remove litter etc.

24
Q

What is zero tolerance policing?

A

Aim was to crack down hard on the first signs of petty disorder

e.g. begging, jaywalking

Developed in New York in the 1990s