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RIGHT REALISM (TACKLING CRIME (CRIME PREVENTION POLICIES SHOULD THEREFORE…
RIGHT REALISM
TACKLING CRIME
WILSON AND KELLING'S ARTICLE BROKEN WINDOWS ARGUES THAT ITS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN THE ORDELY CHARACTER OF NEIGHBOURHOODS TO PREVENT CRIME TAKING HOLD. ANY SIGN OF DETERIORATION MUST BE DEALTH IMMEDIATEL
CRIME PREVENTION POLICIES SHOULD THEREFORE REDUCE THE REWARDS AND INCREASE THE COST OF CRIME TO THE USE OFFENDERS
FOR EXAMPLE, BY 'TARGET HARDENING' , GREATER USE OF PRSIONS AND ENSURING PUNISHMENTS FOLLOW SOON AFTER THE OFFENCE TO MAXIMISE THEIR DETERRENT EFFECT
THEY ADVOCATE A 'ZERO TOLERANCE' POLICY TOWARDS UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIOUR. THE POLICE SHOULD FOCUS ON CONTROLLING THE STREETS SO THAT LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS FEEL SAFE.
RIGHT REALISTS DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS FRUITFUL TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THE CAUSE OF CRIME SINCE THESE CANNOT EASILY BE CHANGED
INSTEAD THEY SEEK PRACTICAL MEASURES TO MAKE CRIME LESS ATTRACTIVE. THEIR MAIN FOCUS IS ON CONTROL, CONTAINMENT AND PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS
S = SUPPORTERS OF ZERO TOLERANCE POLICING CLAIM THAT IT ACHIEVED HUGE REDUCTIONS IN CRIME AFTER IT WAS INTRODUCED IN NEW YORK
C = HOWEVER, YOUNG ARGUES THAT 'SUCESS' WAS A MYTH PEDDLED BY POLITICIANS AND POLICE KEEN TO TAKE THE CREDIT FOR FAILING CRIME - WHEREAS IN FACT THE CRIME RATE IN NEW YORK HAD BEEN FAILING SINCE 1985 (NINE YEARS BEFORE ZERO TOLERANCE)
RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY
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RATIONAL CHOICE THEORISTS ARGUE THAT THE DECISION TO COMMIT CRIME IS A CHOICE BASED ON A RATIONAL CALCULATION OF THE LIKELY CONSEQUENCES.
IF THE PERCEIVED REWARDS OF THE CRIME OUTWEIGH THE PERCEIVED COSTS, OR IF THE REWARDS OF CRIME APPEAR TO BE GREATER THAN THOSE OF NON-CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR THEN PEOPLE WILL BE LIKELY TO OFFEND
RIGHT REALISTS ARGUE THAT THE PERCEIVED COST OF CRIME ARE LOW AND THIS IS WHY THE CRIME RATE HAS INCREASE
S = WILSON PUT ITS: 'IF THE SUPPLY AND VALUE OF LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES WAS DECLINING AT THE VERY TIME THAT THE COST WAS ALSO DECLINING, A RATIONAL TEENAGER MIGHT WELL CONCLUDE THAT IT MADE MORE SENSE TO STEAL CAR THAN TO WASH THEM
C = THE RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY OVERSTATES OFFENDERS' RATIONALITY AND HOW FAR THEY MAKE COST-BENEFIT CALCULATIONS BEFORE COMITTING A CRIME.
WHILE IT MAY EXPLAIN SOME UTILITARIAN CRIME, IT MAY NOT EXPLAIN IMPULSIVE OR VIOLENT CRIME
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BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES
HERRNSTIEN AND MURRAY ARGUE THAT THE MAIN CAUSE OF CRIME IS LOW INTELLIGENCE, WHICH THEY ALSO SEE AS BIOLOGICALLY DETERMINED
WILSON AND HERRNSTEIN PUT FORWARD A BIOSOCIAL THEORY OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR. IN THEIR VIEW, CRIME IS CAUSED BY A COMBINATION OF BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL FACTS
BIOLOGICAL DIFFERRENCES BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS MAKE SOME PEOPLE INNATELY MORE STRONGLY PREDISPOSED TO COMMIT CRIME THAN OTHERS
PERSONALITY TRAITS SUCH AS AGGRESSIVENESS, EXTROVERSION, RISK TAKING AND LOW IMPULSE CONTROL PUT SOME PEOPLE AT GREATER RISK OF OFFENDING
C = LILY ET AL FOUND DIFFERENCES IN INTELLIGENCE ACCOUNTED FOR ONLY 3% OF THE DIFFERENCES IN OFFENDING, WHICH SHOWS THAT IT OVER-EMPHASISES BIOLOGICAL FACTORS