Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Realism theories of crime - Coggle Diagram
Realism theories of crime
Approach to sociology that developed in the 80s
Suggested theorising about crime and using qualitative methods to research criminals overlooks nature of victims
Marxism
Focuses on the crimes of the wealthy but reality and problem of working class crimes in many areas
Neo-Marxists
See working class crime as redistribution of wealth but this romanticises crime and disregards victims
Interactionists
See criminals as victims but ignores victims of crime who are poor themselves
Realism is view that crime is a problem for people in society
Left Realism
Based on Neo Marxism but works on assumption that crime is an issue of inequality and aggressive policing in areas
Crime can be prevented from through addressing social issues
Marxists/Interactionists - Claim official statistics can be ignored because created by police therefor social creations
Left Realist criticise these approaches
Saying that ignoring information overlooks basic realities of being a victim
Principles of Left Realism
Victim surveys show crime has been increasing in society and is a problem
Traditional theories don't explain crime/reasons for criminality
Reality is , real victims of crime are disadvantaged in other ways e.g Poor , Migrants , Women , Homeless
Fear of crime and unwillingness to report it , restricts people's lives
Left Realist solutions to crime
It has been very influential in terms of policy making because it attempts to offer specific advice on how crime may be addressed
Most influential were Kinsey , Lea and Young
A range of community strategies have been introduced since 90s including ASBO'S , Criminal behaviour orders, appointment of police commissioners and civil injunctions . These all have the intention of making police more sensitive to victims/communities
Left realists suggest crime isn't caused by any single factor but MULTIFACTORAL
Relative Deprivation- Feeling poor , possibly because media advertise goods which can't be gained honestly by most people
According to Young - Poverty isn't cause of crime , because poorest groups being the elderly
Marginalisation - Poor and disadvantages feel marginalised by society, the only way to influence society is by rioting/violence
Subcultural Membership - Many Working Class subcultures are anti-authority/antagonistic. This develops a response to poor social conditions
Aspects of Crime
Young , Lea and Matthews argue number of different factors come into play . Which all interact with each other
Offender - Criminologists should consider why people offend and why they drift in and out of crime
Victim - The Victim is often the one decides if an act is criminal , e.g one person thinks an unpaid loan is theft whereas another person thinks differently
Public - Labelling theories show the media and public point out certain acts are unacceptable , people may not commit crime because their fear of public reactions
The State - Those who govern and create laws thus make criminals . The state will control and influence policing
Right realism
Popular with politicians associated with conservatism
Argues crime is caused by young , working class men (usually black) who have been badly socialised and need to be punished