Realist Explanations for Crime & Deviance The Left vs. The Right

Discuss What does it mean to have “left wing” or “right wing” political views? What do we mean by the ‘political spectrum’?

Life is about survival of the fittest. The government shouldn’t tell consenting adults what they can do in bed! Life is about survival of the fittest. People shouldn’t have to pay taxes! All people should be treated equally! Private companies should run services, not the government. Big businesses should be allowed to do what they want! Healthcare should be free to everyone. The benefits system is essential to help people who can’t help themselves... The traditions of a society should be sacred. We need to deal with climate change urgently!!!!!!

People shouldn’t have to pay taxes! LEFT The government shouldn’t tell consenting adults what they can do in bed! People shouldn’t have to pay taxes! LEFT The benefits system is essential to help people who can’t help themselves... Life is about survival of the fittest. On the left, are some key ‘left wing’ ideas. On the right, some key ‘right wing’ ideas. The more you hold on one side, the more ‘left’ or ‘right’ wing you are. Big businesses should be allowed to do what they want! Healthcare should be free to everyone. The traditions of a society should be sacred. We need to deal with climate change urgently!!!!!! Private companies should run services, not the government. All people should be treated equally! RIGHT!

The Realist Perspectives Rather than just theorizing on the explanations for crime and deviance, realists accept the reality of the situation and promote solutions... ...They do a bit of explaining too, but their explanations tend to be linked to firm solutions... ...Right and Left realism, linked to right and left politics, are often directly opposed. How a society tackles crime may be largely down to the political views of its government.

Right Realism

Right Realist Philosophy Individual responsibility Freedom from state control Tradition Hierarchy Order The Right Realists fuse liberal and conservative views; the theories of Functionalism were a big influence also...

No it doesn’t you lazy devil! The New Right (played by Maggie Thatcher) Normal Person (played by Keanu Reeves) You know, I think poverty causes crime... No it doesn’t you lazy devil! What!? How do you know? In the early ‘60s, the country was wealthy; individuals had more money than ever and there were lots of schemes to help the poor. Yet the crime rate rocketed!!!! Oh.

The New Right Reject any argument that links poverty and unemployment to crime... ...Although they do accept the statistics that claim crime is mostly committed by poor people, who are often unemployed and in poverty!?!

Charles Murray (1992): The Welfare State It encourages dependency and a lack of motivation that is handed down through generations. It creates an underclass. The welfare state “saps moral fibre, erodes Christian ethics and threatens family values”. Marsland (1992) agreed: The ‘nanny state’ removes individual choice and desire to work.

Discuss Why might Murray blame the welfare state for the following: LAZINESS IMMORALITY SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES SECULARISATION POOR SOCIALISATION OF CHILDREN

Murray... SINGLE-PARENTS CAUSE CRIME!!! Welfare Single parenting Lack of positive parental role models children not socialised into values of hard work and responsibility crime Psst...don’t tell anyone, but I left my wife and kids...

Cultural Explanations for Crime Blame a decline in ‘civility’ and respect for authority. The rise of ‘fatherless families’, in which young males are denied an appropriate role model. Decline in family values and lack of discipline both inside and outside of the home.

Wilson: Individual Choice Wilson (1975) believed that individuals choose to be criminals. He said crime was a result of “wickedness”. He claimed “the criminal engages in a rational calculation before engaging in crime” (cost/benefit analysis) This is one of the key features of the Right Realist view. Note: James Q. Wilson is often considered the originator of the Right Realist perspective.

Broken Windows (Wilson & Kelling; 1982) “Have you ever wondered why you never see just one broken window?” This was the most influential R. Realist study and showed how crime flourishes when social control and communities break down.

A Broken Windows Escalation Model. An “incivility” or sign of deterioration appears in a community. Normally, a community acts immediately to stamp out the problem. But if they don’t... Offenders realise the community doesn’t do anything....so further incivility/deterioration occurs... Residents withdraw further from the community; the community and control within it breaks down... The area becomes a hotspot for more frequent and serious crime. A Broken Windows Escalation Model. Discuss: What could be done to stop this happening?

Zero Tolerance Right Realists promote this police strategy for managing crime. No offence, however minor, is tolerated. Views about what is acceptable are therefore reshaped. New York City, in which a zero tolerance policy transformed the city, is cited as an example of how successful it can be.

Situational Crime Prevention These are strategies which seek to change environments in which crime can take place... ...The changes should increase the risk and difficulty to the offender, reduce any reward for committing the crime. The costs of committing a crime in this place will outweigh the benefits.

New York City Toilets: A Situational Crime Prevention Example Toilet Feature Before the change After the change Ceiling Panels Removable Attendants None Lighting Fairly dim, regular light-bulb fittings Walls Normal brick and normal paint Nooks Lots Sink size Six users at a time Copy & Complete, identifying changes that could be made to stamp out crime in public toilets!

How has SCP been used in these places...

Walklate (1996) Typology of Prevention Strategies Offender-Centred (harsher sentences, treatment and rehabilitation) Victim-Centred (advice to individuals via govt. literature and insurers regarding precautions that need taking) Environment-Centred (target-hardening; CCTV) Community-Centred (Neighbourhood Watch; involvement of schools and local businesses in tackling crime).

CCTV List all the places where you are aware of CCTV cameras in your local area...

CCTV: Discuss Is someone less likely to commit a crime because they are aware they might be caught on film? Does CCTV prevent crime, or displace it? Is it really a solution to crime, considering that so much crime happens in private places? Does it make us less afraid of crime?

CCTV: Discuss What sort of freedoms are we giving up as CCTV expands? Who should have the right to conduct surveillance – and how should they be monitored?

Criticisms of Right Realism Many of the policies displace crime, rather than prevent it. Greater surveillance reduces our privacy and our freedom. Its policies focus on street crime, burglary etc. They ignore crime like domestic violence and corporate crime. Places blame on victims!

Criticisms of Right Realism The idea that some people are just born ‘wicked’ is dangerous... Platt & Takagi (1977) point out that it completely ignores crimes of the rich and powerful. Its policies and theories are designed entirely to criminalise working-class people. It assumes that crimes are calculated behaviours...but many crimes are done from passion, in the heat of the moment.

Complete Right Realist Explanations Right Realist Solutions

Left Realism

Marxists are too idealistic Marxists are too idealistic...and they ignore that most victims of crime are poor... Realistically, most people are more worried about street crime and burglary than they are corporate crime... The Origins of Left Realism. Jock Young (along with John Lea & Roger Matthews) are considered the main founders of Left Realism. The Right Wing are making things worse by over-dramatising the problem and distorting focus.. We have to develop realistic strategies to reduce the harm that crime does in the lives of the poor and powerless...

Left Realist Explanations Accept poverty and unemployment as factors. Lea & Young (1984) point to “growing army of unemployed”, for whom collective violence and temporary control of territory is a reaction against political thinking of the time. However, also accepted that the problem went beyond poverty.

Relative Deprivation The term was derived from the work of Runciman (1966)... “...Revolution can only occur when the poor became aware of the sheer scale of the differences between themselves and the rich...” This was developed by Lea & Young who claimed crime is not caused by poverty itself, but by the resentment of the poor at how little their income matched their aspirations.* *Does this sound familiar...?

Marginalization This means that some groups are more likely than others to suffer economic, social and political deprivation. If you suffer the first two, you will probably also suffer the third... ...And this causes frustration, as it means you can’t influence decision-makers and so feel powerless.

Subcultures Lea & Young believe that groups who experience relative deprivation and political marginalization are likely to form subcultures... ...They were very influenced here again by Merton...

‘The Square of Crime’: To understand and tackle crime, you need to understand how each corner of the square acts and reacts in the situation (and in regards to each other). http://www.bunker8.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/misc/square.htm

Discuss (small groups) Consider the London Riots. How would the Square of Crime be used to explore what caused them and how future riots could be prevented?

Military policing only leads to mobilisation of bystanders The Role of the Police Critical of ‘zero tolerance’ measures, or of any measures that encourage the police to act in a more hostile or aggressive manner. Military policing only leads to mobilisation of bystanders

The Role of the Police Left Realists want to rebuild trust between troubled communities and the police. They promote a police force who: Are democratically controlled Abandon ‘stop and search’ policies Focus on racial attacks, domestic abuse and corporate crime Consult with communities Are approachable! Discuss: Why are these things important from a Left Realist view?

“…tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime…” – Tony Blair

Left Realist: Long Term Goals Changes in the structure of society to promote social justice. Removal or reduction of inequality.

Left Realist: Immediate Policies Young & Matthews (1992) Build strong communities and “not expect them to resemble the soap operas we watch” (Young; 1997). Ensuring all sectors of society (e.g. Families, schools) – not just the police - join the fight against crime… Work with victims to minimise suffering Focusing on deprived, high-crime-rate areas…

Criticisms of Left Realism Don’t spend enough time focusing on offenders... Relative Deprivation is useful for explaining some crimes, but not others (e.g. rape, assault). Don’t really deal with corporate crime... Marxists accuse them of “selling out” (ignoring the true causes of crime and just dealing with the establishment’s view of crime...)

Complete Left Realist Explanations Left Realist Solutions