New Right Explanations of Crime PDF

**Topic 7 -- New Right Explanations** ***Key questions: Why do poor people commit more crime than others? How is crime linked to intelligence and control?*** **An Introduction** Right-wing views on crime (influenced by functionalism) include theorists from two areas: the **New Right** and **Right...

**Topic 7 -- New Right Explanations** ***Key questions: Why do poor people commit more crime than others? How is crime linked to intelligence and control?*** **An Introduction** Right-wing views on crime (influenced by functionalism) include theorists from two areas: the **New Right** and **Right Realism**. Right-wing views refer to the political views of the right such as those held by the Conservative Party. They tend to believe that equality is neither possible, nor desirable and that the most talented work hard and should be rewarded for doing so (meritocracy). They argue that the state should not intervene and support those who are struggling, but instead, individuals should take responsibility for lifting themselves out of poverty. In relation to crime, **New Right** theorists tend to blame criminals or deviants for their own situation and their bad choices, citing poor socialisation, lack of personal responsibility and biology as possible reasons. **Right Realists**, *who are closely related to the New Right but not exactly the same*, focus on how a lack of attachment to societal norms and a decline in community norms lead to crime. We will focus on **New Right** views in this topic. **New Right explanations** 1. **Murray -- the underclass** **Murray (1989)** developed a cultural explanation for criminality by focusing on the idea of an underclass rather than a subculture. Murray states that the underclass does not share the same values as other members of society and therefore sees them as responsible for a high proportion of crime. He explains their criminality as a result of their rejection of mainstream values and norms. Murray states that the underclass's lack of commitment to regular employment among men, delinquency among children and drunkenness is what leads to their criminal behaviour. Furthermore, the high birth rates outside of marriage found in female members of the underclass and the lack of a male role model leads to poor socialisation of children that in turn, leads to crime. **[Criticism of Murray theory of the underclass ]** **Tham (1998) compared the welfare policies and official crime rates in Britain and Sweden in the 1980s and 1990s. In Sweden, compared to Britain, there was less increase in inequality and less use of imprisonment than in Britain. However, crime rates increased faster in Britain than they did in Sweden. Tham argues that this undermines Murray's claim that the generosity of the welfare payment can be held responsible for underclass crime, thus arguing that crime is more closely linked to increases in inequality. This can be further backed by Wilkinson and Pickett's findings in "The Spirit Level -- why equality is better for everyone" as their findings coincide with those of Tham emphasizing again that income inequality has a huge impact on the health and social problems which occur in western societies.** **2 Murray and Herrnstein -- Criminality and Intelligence** **In their book '*The Bell Curve'*, Murray and Herrnstein suggest that criminal involvement is linked to intelligence. Low intelligence is linked with poverty, high rates of divorce and illegitimate births. Low IQ is also associated with being unemployed, being often injured and being welfare dependent. Finally, they argue that low IQ increases the risk of criminal behaviour. They argue that people are more likely to commit crime if they are not socialised into acceptable behaviours in their childhood by their family, so that personal traits such as impulsivity and lack of empathy are less likely to be controlled and/or changed. Murray and Herrnstein would argue that this explains the high crime rates for members of the lower classes as well as ethnic minority groups who are found to have lower levels of intelligence measured through IQ scores which lead to criminal and/or deviant behaviour.** **3 Marsland -- the underclass are dependent on welfare benefits** **Marsland believes that people who are low on income are a result of the state being too generous with their benefits and services, rather than the individual's inadequacy to work, thus pushing individuals to not be self-reliant and let the state take responsibility for their welfare. Marsland calls this a 'culture of dependency' which in itself is deviant because it only applies to a small proportion of the population; the overwhelming majority work and contribute to the economy through taxes.** Marsland further stated in 1988 that crime and deviancy is linked to the breakdown in the moral fabric of society. Schools and religion have become less effective agencies of social control and that the moral glue of society, which gave it its authority, has gone. Marsland believes that this has led to a decline in morality and as a consequence, crime has increased. Functionalists agree that institutions such as the family make society and that without them, society breaks down. Over the years, the respect for people's positions has changed and deference within society no longer has the impact it used to. **4 A lack of civility (Denis and Erdos)** It is suggested that there has been **a decline in \'civility\'** and respect for authority in communities that are characterised by anomie and cultural dis-organisation. Special mention is made of \'fatherless families\' and its detrimental effect on young men denied an appropriate role model. They see a decline in \'family values\', in particular a lack of discipline both inside and outside the home. Denis and Erdos focus on the decline in informal social control. In the past people would tut or shun neighbours who contravened social norms but now 'anything goes' and hence the decline of social order. Civility refers to a society where people know one another and reinforce similar values. The Right see multiculturalism and postmodern life having eroded our civility, leading to higher levels of deviance and crime. **However**, many on the Left embrace the new liberalism that has emerged in the postmodern world, so there is less tutting or disapproval of any tiny infraction. Tolerance for different styles, relationships, behaviours is embraced by many e.g. having babies without being married, being gay, having piercings etc. They reject the assumption that these types of liberal behaviour inevitably lead to decline and crime.