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Right realism
- Building blocks of right realism
- Originated in the 1970's, particularly by
James Q. Wilson, and Ernst van den Haag
(1975)
- It developed as a critique
of sociological theory which
had failed to solve the
problem of crime.
- The basis of Right Realism is
a negative view of human
nature, and suggests that
people are naturally selfish
and greedy.
- The basis of Right Realism is
a negative view of human
nature, and suggests that
people are naturally selfish
and greedy.
- Originated in the 1970's, particularly by
James Q. Wilson, and Ernst van den Haag
(1975)
- Solutions to crime
- Rational choice
theory
- Developed by
Clarke and Coleman
(1980)
- The theory argues that
criminals will engage in
crime if the benefits
outweigh the costs.
- Increase the costs of crime
(increase the likelihood of being
caught and tougher punishments).
- Increase the costs of crime
(increase the likelihood of being
caught and tougher punishments).
- Developed by
Clarke and Coleman
(1980)
- Crime control should also fall
upon members of the community.
For example, neighbourhood
watch.
- This involves responsible parenting and
'active citizens' who challenge anti-social
behaviour
- This involves responsible parenting and
'active citizens' who challenge anti-social
behaviour
- Tough punishment: heavy fines,
sentences and advocation of
corporal (physical) and capital
punishment.
- Rational choice
theory
- Theories to crime
- With increased rates
of affluence, crime
rates have soared.
- Key factors to crime
increase - Lack of discipline
in education, decline in the
traditional family
- Rising crime levels reflects ineffective and
inadequate social control. Permissive
attitudes allow self-indulgent and anti-social
behaviour.
- Feckless parenting (lacking initiative), absent
fathers, lack of discipline in schools, and liberal
policies of the state have all served to begin to
ferment crime, and leading to incivilities.
- The non-traditional family, especially
single mothers, is viewed as a major
factor
- Lack of discipline in schools, a mass media
that glamorises deviance and crime and
the decline in the influence of religious
values are other important contributory
factors.
- The non-traditional family, especially
single mothers, is viewed as a major
factor
- Feckless parenting (lacking initiative), absent
fathers, lack of discipline in schools, and liberal
policies of the state have all served to begin to
ferment crime, and leading to incivilities.
- With increased rates
of affluence, crime
rates have soared.
- Also known as the new right
- James Q. Wilson and the 'Broken
Window Thesis'
- "Unless ‘incivilities’ (litter, graffiti,
noise levels, vandalism, etc.) are
kept minimal, then wider
anti-social behaviour and more
serious crimes will follow"
- He advocates that the police
adopt a policy of
‘zero-tolerance’ for even minor
crimes (as tried by the Mayor of
New York).
- This reflects Emile Durkheim’s
idea that local informal
controls are crucial for law
and order and A.H. Bottoms’
concept of the ‘tipping’ of
problem housing estates.
- "Unless ‘incivilities’ (litter, graffiti,
noise levels, vandalism, etc.) are
kept minimal, then wider
anti-social behaviour and more
serious crimes will follow"
- James Q. Wilson (1975)
- Wilson argues that there are
three key factors affecting long
time crime.
- 1. Number of young
males (typical deviants).
- 2. Cost/benefits of
crime: Rational choice
theory
- 3. Inadequate
socialisation into
norms and values.
- To deal with this he advocates target hardening of deviant
groups and areas through pro-active policing.
- Right Realists blame crime on
inadequate or inappropriate
socialisation by key socialisation
agencies in society.
- To deal with this he advocates target hardening of deviant
groups and areas through pro-active policing.
- 3. Inadequate
socialisation into
norms and values.
- 2. Cost/benefits of
crime: Rational choice
theory
- 1. Number of young
males (typical deviants).
- Wilson argues that there are
three key factors affecting long
time crime.
- Charles Murray
- He argues the underclass are
particularly insufficiently
integrated into society’s norms
and values. He calls the deviant
subcultural values of the
underclass as ‘paternalism’.
- He views the underclass as
prone to: criminal tendencies,
violence, illegitimacy and
promiscuity, educational
failure and welfare
dependency.
- He argues the underclass are
particularly insufficiently
integrated into society’s norms
and values. He calls the deviant
subcultural values of the
underclass as ‘paternalism’.
- Van den Haag (1975)
- He adopts a very poor view of humanity
as willing to cheat to ‘get on’ and
therefore some groups need to be
controlled for their own good and that of
society.
- Therefore, he argues, it is
reasonable for law and order
agencies to target the poor
- Therefore, he argues, it is
reasonable for law and order
agencies to target the poor
- He advocates a tough penal system of
punishment: corporal and capital.
- Like Durkheim, he
sees punishment as
functional, acting as a
deterrent.
- He adopts a very poor view of humanity
as willing to cheat to ‘get on’ and
therefore some groups need to be
controlled for their own good and that of
society.
- Critique of Right realism
- It is influential on Government
policy in both the USA and the
UK
- For example 'zero tolerance' has succesfully been adopted
as a policy in New York
- For example 'zero tolerance' has succesfully been adopted
as a policy in New York
- Some argue it is a lack of investment in
deprived areas rather than incivilities tat
cause crime
- Another argument is that where
zero tolerance is introduced, this
simply shifts crime to other areas.
- It is easy to pick on
scapegoats, such as single
parent families.
- Marxists argue that concentration on minor
offences means that more serious crime gets
ignored by the authorities.
- It is influential on Government
policy in both the USA and the
UK
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