Right Realism By Elliott Gwynn

What is Right Realism?! Developed at the same time as Left Realism. Those with a right-wing approach to politics developed Right Realism. They believed crime rates were rising as society fragmented due to the decline of community and lack of respect for authority.

When? Right realism was founded in 1982 by James Q. Wilson in his book Broken Windows

The cause of crime Decline in respect for authority- heavily linked to fatherless families Decline in family values and discipline Welfare state has undermined the morality and virtues of self-restraint and self-control Collapse of sense of community Crimes rewards outweigh the potential losses

The solution to crime Increase the risks, decrease the opportunites! Target hardening- Security devices Surveillence- CCTV Zero tolerance policing People taking responsibility of their own environment

The Broken Window Thesis- Wilson and Kelling (82) Wilson and Kelling said that when control is lost, crime can spiral and cause areas to fall into decline. Imagine a disused building W & K said that once one window gets smashed, and it doesn’t get repaired. More vandalism will occur!

The conclusion Wilson and Kelling drew the conclusion that the control of disorderly behaviour in public places is vital to prevent the escalation to more serious crime. This view was a huge influence on zero- tolerance approach to crime, which was applied in New York during the 80’s.

Incivilities A proportion of any given community is likely to engage in what James Q. Wilson called ‘Incivilities’. Ranges from dropping litter to rowdy behaviour. The amount and extent of incivilities is held in check by the response of the community. If there is no response, it can lead to more frequent and serious crimes.

Control Theory