- Realist theories differ from labelling theory and critical criminology in that they see crime as a real fact, rather than socially constructed, and they propose different policies to reduce crime.
- Realists divide along political lines:
- Right realists are Conservative and support a ‘zero tolerance’ stance on crime.
- Left realists are reformists socialists and favour policies that promote inequality.
Right Realism (RR)
- They see crime as a growing problem.
- Attitude to other theories – Right realists believe other theories have failed to solve the problem of crime. They regard labelling and critical criminology as ‘too sympathetic’ to the criminal and too hostile to the police and the courts.
- Practical solutions RR are mainly concerned with practical solutions to reduce crime. In their view, the best way to do so is through control and punishment, rather than by rehabilitating offenders or tackling causes such as poverty
Causes of Crime
- RRs reject the idea that structural or economic factors such as poverty are the cause of crime; e.g. they point out that the old tend to be poor yet have a low crime rate.
- For RRs, crime is the product of three factors: biological differences, inadequate socialisation and the underclass, and the rational choice to offend.
Biological differences
- According to Wilson and Herrnstein, crime is caused by a combination of biological and social factors.
- Biological differences between individuals make some people innately predisposed to commit crime, due to personalities traits such as aggressiveness, risk-taking or low intelligence, which RRs see as biologically determined.
The Underclass
- Effective socialisation decreases the risk of offending by teaching self-control and correct values. RRs see the Nuclear family as the best agency of Socialisation.
- However, according to Murray, the Nuclear family is being undermined by the welfare state, which is creating welfare dependency and encouraging the growth of an underclass who fail to socialise their children properly.
- Generous welfare provision has led to the growth of benefit-dependent lone parent families, since men no longer need to take responsibility for supporting their families
- Absent fathers mean boys lack discipline and an appropriate male role model, so they turn to delinquent role models in street gangs and gain status through crime rather than through supporting their families.
Rational choice theory
- Clarke’s rational choice theory assumes individuals are rational beings with free will.
- Deciding to commit crime is a choice, based on rational calculation of the consequence.
- If the rewards of the crime appear to outweigh the costs, then people will be more likely to offend, RRs argue that the crime rate is high because the perceived costs are low;g. little risk of being caught and lenient punishments.
- Felson’s routine activity theory argues that for crime to occur, there must be motivated offender, a suitable target (victim or property) and the absence of a ‘capable guardian’ (policeman or neighbour) offenders act rationally, so the presence of a guardian is likely to deter them.
Solutions to crime
- RRs believe it is pointless trying to tackle the underlying causes of crime since these are hard to change. Instead, they focus on the control and punishment of offenders.
- Wilson and Kelling argue that we must keep neighbourhoods orderly to prevent crime taking hold, any sign of deterioration e.g. graffiti must be dealt with immediately.
- They advocate ‘zero tolerance’ policing. The Police should focus on controlling the streets so law-abiding citizens feel safe. It was claimed that ZTP was a success after its introduction in New York.
- Crime prevention policies should reduce the rewards of crime and increase its costsg. target hardening, more use of prison.
Criticisms of right realism
- It ignores structural causes of crimeg. poverty. It is concerned almost solely with street crime, ignoring corporate crime, which is more costly and harmful to the public.
- It over-emphasises control of disorderly neighbourhoods, ignoring underlying causes of neighbourhood decline.
- Young argues that crime was already falling before ZTP was brought in, police then boosted their arrest rate by ‘defining deviance up’ – arresting people for minor deviant acts.
Left Realism
- Left realists are Socialists unlike RRs who are Conservative.
- Like Marists, LRs are opposed to the inequality of capitalist society and see it as the root cause of crime.
- Unlike Marxists they are reformist, not revolutionary Socialists, they believe gradual reforms are the only realistic way to achieve equality.
- While Marxists believe only a future revolution can bring a crime-free society, LRs believe we need realistic solution for reducing it now.