Left Realist Explanations of Crime and Deviance

What are the 3 Left Realist explanations of Crime and Deviance?

• relative deprivation

• marginalisation

• subcultures

Who are the 2 main Left Realist sociologists?

Lea & Young

What is relative deprivation, and how does it cause Crime and Deviance (Lea & Young)?

• individuals perceived themselves as deprived

• crime rates have risen despite an overall increase in societal wealth since the 1950s

• individuals experience a heightened sense of relative deprivation in contemporary society

• media and advertising lead individuals to feel economically disadvantaged, despite increased prosperity

• increased individualism and consumerism promoted by the media alongside economic exclusion

• individuals feel they cannot live the lifestyle promoted, causing frustration, resentment, and criminal behaviour 

What is marginalisation, and how does it create Crime and Deviance (Lea & Young)?

• marginal groups generally lack the organisation to represent their interests in political life

• the unemployed and those in casual work are less likely to be unionised

• marginal groups tend to use violence and rioting as forms of polical action to express their sense of grievance

• those left behind in an increasingly unequal society could become marginalised, feel deprived, and form subcultures that encourage criminality

How do subcultures create Crime and Deviance (Lea & Young)?

• some subcultures develop subcultural strategies and lifestyles to cope with relative deprivation and marginalisation

• e.g., drug-based subcultures may encourage criminality, while religious subcultures may discourage crime

• less consensus about moral values than in the past

• an increasing variety of subcultures claiming their values are legitimate, leading to increasing conflict and rising crime

What are some criticisms of the Left Realist explanations of Crime and Deviance?

• overly idealistic

• if social exclusion were the primary driver of criminal behaviour, women might be expected to commit more crimes in patriarchal societies

• neglects the role of gender in crime

• “malestream”

• fails to explain why some individuals who experience relative deprivation turn to crime while others do not

• Ruggiero (1992) criticises Left Realists for neglecting corporate and organised crime