RIGHT REALISM

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  • Sees crime, especially street crime as a real and growing problem that:
    • destroys communities
    • undermines social cohesion
    • threatens society work ethic
  • this new corresponds closely with Neo-conservative governments during 70s and 80s
    • e.g they took a stance that the best way ti reduce crime was through control and punishment, rather than rehabilitation
  • right realism reflects this political climate
  • they regard labelling theories and critical criminology as too sympathetic to the criminal and too hostile to the forces of law and order
  • they are less concerned to understand the causes or crimes and more concerned with realistic solutions
    • their main emphasis is on crime reduction strategies

CAUSES OF CRIME

BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES

  • WILSON & HERNNSTEIN put forward a biosocial theory of criminal Behaviour
    • in their view crime is caused by a combination of biological and social factors
  • biological differences between some individuals make some people innately ore strongly predisposed to commit crime than others
    • e.g personally traits such as aggressiveness, no impulse control etc
  • similarly they argue the main cause of crime is low intelligence, which they see as biologically determined

SOCIALISATION & THE UNDERCLASS

  • However, whilst biology may increase the chance of an individual offending, effective socialisation decreases the risk
  • this is bus it involves self control and internalising moral values or right and wrong
  • for right realists the best agency of socialisation is the nuclear family
  • Murray claims that the crime rate is increasing because of a growing underclass who fail to socialise their children properly
    the underclass is growing as a result of welfare dependency
  • welfare dependency has lead to decline of marriage, growth if lone parent families, because women & children can live off benefits
    • this means men no longer have to take on responsibility for supporting their families, so they no longer need to work
  • howewer Murray claims lobe parent families are ineffective socialising agents, especially for boys
  • absent fathers means lack of role models
    • as a result young males turn to delinquent role models on the street and gain status through crime

RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY

  • AN important element in the right realist view of crime comes from the assumption individuals have the free will and the power of reason
    • Clarke argues that the decision to commit crime is a choice based on rational calculations the likely consequences
    • if rewards of crime outweigh costs, people will be likely to offend
  • They are the perceived costs of crime are low and this is why crime has increases
    • in their view there is little risk of being caught and punishment are in any case lenient

TACKLING CRIME

  • RR do not believe its worth to try and deal with the causes of crime since these cannot be easily changed
  • instead they seek practical measures to make crime less attracive
  • the main focus Is on control, containment and punishment offendes rather than rehabilitation
  • crime prevention policies should therefore reduce the rewards and increase the costs of crime to the offender
    • e.g 'target hardening'
    • greater use of prison
    • ensuring punishments follow soon after the offence (to maximise deterrence)
  • ZERO TOLERANCE:
    • Wilson and Kelling argue ist essential to maintain the orderly characteristics of neighbourhoods to prevent crime taking hold
    • any signs of deterioration e.g vandalises, graffiti, should be dealt with immediately
  • They advocate 'zero tolerance' policy towards undesirable behaviour e.g prostitution, begging and drunkness
    • the police should focus on controlling the streets that law-abiding citizens feel safe
  • YOUNG argues Zero tolerance policing's 'success' was a myth made by politicians and police keen to take credit for falling crime
    • crime rates in New York had already been falling 9 years before zero tolerance policing
  • Zero-tolerance deals with petty street crime and ignores corporate crime which is more costly and harmful
  • zero-tolerance & target hardening leads to displacement of crime elsewhere
  • ignores wider structural causes such as poverty
  • doesnt explain impulsive or violent crime
  • its view of criminals as rational actors with free will to choose crime conflicts with their claim behaviour is determined by biology and socialisation