Podcast
Questions and Answers
What critique does Jones offer regarding right realist policies in the USA?
What critique does Jones offer regarding right realist policies in the USA?
Jones notes that right realist policies have failed to prevent the crime rate from rising in the USA.
According to left realism, what is the principal flaw in how traditional Marxists address crime?
According to left realism, what is the principal flaw in how traditional Marxists address crime?
Traditional Marxists concentrate on crimes of the powerful, neglecting working-class crime and its effects.
How do neo-Marxists view working-class criminals according to left realists?
How do neo-Marxists view working-class criminals according to left realists?
Neo-Marxists romanticize working-class criminals as 'Robin Hoods' who steal from the rich as an act of political resistance to capitalism.
What do left realists propose instead of waiting for a revolution to abolish crime?
What do left realists propose instead of waiting for a revolution to abolish crime?
What is the 'aetiological crisis' that Young refers to in relation to crime rates?
What is the 'aetiological crisis' that Young refers to in relation to crime rates?
What do right realists think about the failure of other theories to address rising crime?
What do right realists think about the failure of other theories to address rising crime?
According to right realists, what are the three main factors that lead to crime?
According to right realists, what are the three main factors that lead to crime?
What is the main claim of Wilson and Herrnstein's biosocial theory of criminal behavior?
What is the main claim of Wilson and Herrnstein's biosocial theory of criminal behavior?
How does Charles Murray explain the increasing crime rate?
How does Charles Murray explain the increasing crime rate?
According to Murray, why are lone mothers considered ineffective socialization agents?
According to Murray, why are lone mothers considered ineffective socialization agents?
What is the main argument of rational choice theory according to right realists?
What is the main argument of rational choice theory according to right realists?
According to right realists, why have crime rates increased?
According to right realists, why have crime rates increased?
What do Wilson and Kelling's Broken Windows theory emphasize in crime prevention?
What do Wilson and Kelling's Broken Windows theory emphasize in crime prevention?
What key elements must converge for a crime to occur according to Felson's routine activity theory?
What key elements must converge for a crime to occur according to Felson's routine activity theory?
What criticism is made regarding the rationality of offenders in right realism?
What criticism is made regarding the rationality of offenders in right realism?
What period does Young contrast with today's late modern society, and what characterized that period?
What period does Young contrast with today's late modern society, and what characterized that period?
How has de-industrialization contributed to rising crime rates according to Young?
How has de-industrialization contributed to rising crime rates according to Young?
What is the contrast that Young notes between cultural inclusion and economic exclusion?
What is the contrast that Young notes between cultural inclusion and economic exclusion?
In what way is Young's idea similar to Merton's concept of anomie?
In what way is Young's idea similar to Merton's concept of anomie?
Why do Kinsey, Lea, and Young criticize the current approach to policing, and what is the result of this approach?
Why do Kinsey, Lea, and Young criticize the current approach to policing, and what is the result of this approach?
What paradox did Lea and Young identify in today's society?
What paradox did Lea and Young identify in today's society?
According to Young, what is the 'lethal combination' that leads to increased crime?
According to Young, what is the 'lethal combination' that leads to increased crime?
Why do left realists believe individualism contributes to the breakdown of communities?
Why do left realists believe individualism contributes to the breakdown of communities?
How do marginalised groups differ from organised groups like workers in terms of achieving their goals?
How do marginalised groups differ from organised groups like workers in terms of achieving their goals?
What solution do left realists suggest criminal subcultures provide for the problem of relative deprivation?
What solution do left realists suggest criminal subcultures provide for the problem of relative deprivation?
According to Young, what is the main issue with government policies on crime?
According to Young, what is the main issue with government policies on crime?
What is a key criticism of left realism by Marxists?
What is a key criticism of left realism by Marxists?
Why do interactionalists criticize left realists’ reliance on victim surveys?
Why do interactionalists criticize left realists’ reliance on victim surveys?
What assumption do left realists make by using subcultural theory in explaining crime?
What assumption do left realists make by using subcultural theory in explaining crime?
How do left realists and right realists differ in their approaches to solving the problem of crime?
How do left realists and right realists differ in their approaches to solving the problem of crime?
According to left realism, what should the primary focus of policing be?
According to left realism, what should the primary focus of policing be?
What multi-agency approach do left realists advocate for crime control?
What multi-agency approach do left realists advocate for crime control?
What underlying causes of crime do left realists identify?
What underlying causes of crime do left realists identify?
What does Young criticize about the New Labour stance on crime?
What does Young criticize about the New Labour stance on crime?
Why do Henry and Milovanovic criticize left realism's definition of crime?
Why do Henry and Milovanovic criticize left realism's definition of crime?
What type of social system do left realists believe society is?
What type of social system do left realists believe society is?
How do left realists prefer to bring about social change?
How do left realists prefer to bring about social change?
What do left realists believe is necessary for reducing crime?
What do left realists believe is necessary for reducing crime?
Which sociological approach do left realists accuse of focusing too much on crimes of the powerful?
Which sociological approach do left realists accuse of focusing too much on crimes of the powerful?
What critique do left realists offer against neo-Marxists?
What critique do left realists offer against neo-Marxists?
According to left realists, how do labelling theorists view working-class criminals?
According to left realists, how do labelling theorists view working-class criminals?
According to Lea and Young, what are the three related causes of crime?
According to Lea and Young, what are the three related causes of crime?
How do Lea and Young define 'relative deprivation'?
How do Lea and Young define 'relative deprivation'?
What paradox did Lea and Young identify about contemporary society?
What paradox did Lea and Young identify about contemporary society?
What is the 'aetiological crisis' that Young refers to?
What is the 'aetiological crisis' that Young refers to?
Study Notes
Explaining Violent Crime
- Right realism is preoccupied with petty street crime and ignores corporate crime, which may be more costly and harmful to the public
- Advocating a zero-tolerance policy can lead to discrimination against ethnic minority youth and the homeless
- Displacement of crime to other areas can occur as a result of zero-tolerance policies
- Right realist policies have failed in the USA to prevent the rising crime rate, according to Jones
Left Realism
- Developed as a response to the need to take the rising crime rate seriously and produce practical solutions
- Sees society as an unequal capitalist one, but advocates for gradual social change rather than a violent revolution
- Believes in developing explanations of crime that will lead to practical strategies for reducing it
- Accuses other sociologists of not taking crime seriously, including Marxists, Neo-Marxists, and Labelling theorists
Taking Crime Seriously
- Left realists believe in recognising who is most affected by crime
- Believe that crime has its roots in deprivation, marginalisation, and subculture
- Identify three related causes of crime: relative deprivation, marginalisation, and subculture
Right Realism
- Rational choice theory: individuals have free will and make rational decisions based on potential consequences
- Perceived costs of crime are low, leading to an increase in crime rates
- Focus is on control, containment, and punishment of offenders, not on addressing the root causes of crime
- Zero-tolerance policy to ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens
Criticisms of Right Realism
- Ignores wider social factors, such as poverty
- Overestimates the rationality of offenders and their meticulous calculation of costs and benefits
- Fails to account for violent crime
Realist Theories
- Right realism sees crime as a growing problem that destroys communities and undermines social cohesion
- Criticises other theories for failing to offer practical solutions to the problem of rising crime
- Regards theories such as labelling as too sympathetic to the criminal and too hostile to the forces of law and order
The Causes of Crime
- Right realists reject the idea put forward by Marxists and other structural or economic factors such as poverty
- Believe that crime is the product of three factors: individual biological differences, inadequate socialization, and rational choice to offend
- Biosocial theory of criminal behaviour: biological differences between individuals make some people innately more strongly predisposed to commit crime than others
Left Realist View
- Subculture is a group's collective solution to the problem of relative deprivation
- Different groups may produce different subcultural solutions to this problem
- Criminal subcultures still subscribe to the values and goals of mainstream society
Evaluation of Left Realism
- Succeeded in drawing attention to the reality of street crime and its effects, especially on victims from deprived areas
- Fails to explain corporate crime, which is more harmful even if less conspicuous
- Assumes that value consensus exists and that crime only occurs when this consensus breaks down
- Over-predicts the amount of crime
- Focuses on high-crime inner-city areas, giving an unrepresentative view
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Description
Learn about the flaws of right realism in addressing crime, and the development of left realism in sociology. Topics include petty street crime, corporate crime, and the failure of zero tolerance policies.
