right realism

what is right realism?

• associated with the political right wing.

• a prominent right realist theorist is charles murray. he said that everyone is tempted to commit crime but it is out level of social bonds that stops us.

• an important link with crime is the development of the underclass. an underclass is made up of poor people, maybe single parent families where young boys lack an appropriate role mode. this then leads them to crime.

• people do not turn to crime for economic factors but a lack of morals and social bonds.

crime is caused as a product of 3 factors

• biological differences: wilson and hernstein said that personality traits associated with crime such as aggressiveness and low intelligence are innate.

• inadequate socialisation: the nuclear family is the best agent of socialisation but murray said that the traditional nuclear family is being undermined by a generous welfare system which encourages lone parent families and does not support the nuclear family. the underclass do not socialise their children properly.

• offending is a rational choice: in the rational choice theory criminals weigh up the costs or risks of committing a crime against the benefits or rewards. if the risks outweigh the benefits then people will not commit crime. this is why we need severe punishments for crimes and heavy policing. felson created the routine activity theory which said that crime occurs for 3 reasons: there is a motivated offender, there is suitable target, there is an absence of a capable guardian, this may be a police officer or a nosey neighbour

evaluation of right realism

• strengths: helps to produce and shape government research into crime - victim surveys and practical ways to combat crime. it is more practical in tackling crime.

• not too theoretical.

• research by flood-page supports the view of the decline of the family. children from lone parent families and stepfamilies, especially males are more likely to offend.

• limitations: ignores wider structural causes of crime like poverty.

• ignores increasing gap between rich and poor and the resentment this may cause.

• too focused on young males and street crime statistics.

• misses white collar crime.

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