Flashcards on Realist Theories of Crime (1.4)

Although left realism developed out of the marxist criminology, it is highly critical of aspects of the theory. Which marxist suggestion are they most critical of?

What counterargument do left realists put forwards?

Marxists claim that white-collar and corporate crimes are the most important problems and should be focused on. How do left realists respond?

Left realism concentrates on examining what?

Who are the founders of left realism?

According to Lea and Young, what characteristic do most victims of street crime share? What impact does this have?

Because of the victims' low social status, Lea and Young argue that it is very misleading to portray modern-day criminals as akin to Robin Hood. What perspective originally suggested we should take this romantic view of criminals?

What is one of left realism's most distinctive characteristics?

Left realists make extensive use of local victim surveys to uncover how crime affects the lives of those who live and work in high crime areas. Name a study that examples the left realist approach?

According to the Islington Crime Survey, who is most likely to be a victim of crime?

Left realists argue that some crimes have too much attention and resources devoted to them. Give examples of such crimes:

Such crimes do more harm to the offenders than to third parties (if there are any) and can often be dealt with through medical intervention and other forms of punishment. What types of crime do Lea and Young believe should receive more attention and resources?

Official crime statistics indicate that street crime rates have risen since WW2, but some sociologists dismiss this. Why do they not believe official crime statistics are valid?

How does Young respond to the argument that official statistics are incorrect in their indication of street crime rates?

Lea and Young base their attempt to explain crime around which three concepts?

What do Lea and Young mean by 'relative deprivation'?

What do Lea and Young mean by 'subculture'?

What do Lea and Young mean by 'marginalisation'?

According to Lea and Young, what underlies relative deprivation, subculture formation and marginalisation?

As well as developing specific explanations of criminality, left realists have also developed a model of the different factors involved in understanding and experiencing crime. What is this known as?

Which sociologist argues that crime can only be understood in terms of the interaction between four elements?

What are the four elements Matthews is referring to?

The square of crime acknowledges that crime is produced through the interaction between offenders' actions and the subsequent formal and informal social reactions. What does the square of crime therefore combine elements of?

However, how does the square of crime go further than both the traditional approaches and the labelling theory?

Victims are crucial in determining whether an act is defined as criminal or not. Why?

Left realists have had some influence upon policies in many countries, including our own. Which government adopted policies, including the introduction of tax credits and the minimum wage, helping to reduce relative deprivation?

Left realists have also had some influence on policing policy. What did Young argue about the effectiveness of policing?

Left realists also support measures such as recruitment of ethnic minority police officers and want to reduce use of stop and search powers. What could this do?

Left realism has been heavily criticised. Which sociologist agues that it fails to successfully explain causes of street crime?

Left realists have not gathered empirical data about motivations for crime and the theory thus lacks direct evidence. What does most left realist research focus on?

Hughes also attacks left realism for its reliance on which theory?

According to Stephen Jones, left realism fails to explain what?

Which sociologist argues that left realists have neglected corporate and organised crime in comparison with marxist and critical criminologists?

Although he criticises it, Gordon Hughes has also identified three strengths of left realism. Give examples:

However, what is perhaps the most important contribution of left realism?

Right realists also accept official statistics and see crime as a major and increasing problem. They agree with functionalists on what point?

Right realists typically reject the view that crime can be explained in terms of structural causes, such as inequality. What do they focus on?

Which American social scientist famously attacked left-wing solutions to crime?

Wilson believed that the explanation for crime was simple. What did he believe the real cause was?

What does Wilson note about the balance of pros and cons with relation to street crime?

Wilson argues that formal controls were failing to combat crime. Why?

What did he note about informal social controls?

Which two sociologists concocted the broken windows theory?

What idea does the broken windows theory put forward?

Wilson and Kelling argue that if a single broken window is left unrepaired, an area will begin to deteriorate. What controversial three-part solution to they propose?

Which two sociologists developed Wilson's rational choice theory?

What theory did Cohen and Felson put forward?

In most circumstances, social control mechanisms and the risk of getting caught or the simple lack of opportunity to commit crime prevents it from occurring. The routine activities theory states that in order for crime to occur, three conditions need to take place. What are they?

How did Cohen and Felson describe the majority of crime?

Cohen and Felson believed that three changes in the USA had led to a growth in crime. What changes were they referring to?

What did Cohen and Felson believe the solution to crime was?

One factor Cohen and Felson reference when explaining the increase of crime is family structure. Which new right sociologist focuses on this factor and gives it much more weight?

Murray argues that an underclass has developed below the main class system. This underclass is not distinguished so much by economic position, but by what?

What is the cause of the growth of this class, according to Murray?

The underclass are dependent upon the state to provide for them and have little incentive to earn their own living. Why can this lead to crime?

How are the attitudes and behaviours of the underclass continued?

Some aspects of right realist thinking has been very influential. Where has 'zero-tolerance' policing been successfully used?

What is another policy based on Wilson's broken windows theory that has been successfully used?

Right realist ideas have also been influential in encouraging the rise of the prison population. Why?

Some sociologists directly contradict the claims of right realists. Wilson's broken windows theory has been attacked by a handful of people. What does Roger Matthews say about the evidence of the theory?

Which sociologist argues that factors such as lack of investment are far more important in determining whether a neighbourhood declines?

The broken windows theory advocates for minor criminals to be heavily focused on and policed. What does Jones note about this?

How do left realists John Lea and Jock Young describe the policing policies advocated by right realists?

Wilson's theory that crime is simply a rational calculation has also been questioned. What do both Jack Katz and Stephen Lyng argue?

Finally, Murray's theory has been heavily criticised for being based on very limited evidence. Contrary to Murray's beliefs, what does Tony Fitzpatrick argue?

There are a handful of similarities between left and right realism. What are they?

However, the differences between left and right realism are greater than the similarities. What are said differences?