Left Realist view - Crime and Deviance

How do Left Realists see crime?

They see it as a real problem that needs to be tackled, taking a socialist views that is opposed to the inequality of the capitalist society that they see as the root of all crime. Left Realists identify themselves as reformist rather than revolutionary socialists, believing that gradual reform is the best way to achieve inequality.

What did John Lea and Jock Young (1984) argue about crime?

They argue that a sense of relative deprivation is a major social factor leading to crime. But they oppose those who suggest that factor such as poverty and unemployment can be seen as directly responsible for crime, as old age pensioners often tend to have very low incomes, but their crime rates are extremely low and crime rates have been increasing in very prosperous times.

How does Relative Deprivation contribute to crime?

It is a feeling of being deprived relative to someone else that triggers a criminal reaction. In modern society, there is a lot of emphasis on achieving economic success. When the media advertises the latest gadgets, many people feel deprived as they know that they will not be able to afford them, unless obtaining them illegally; through utilitarian crimes. Lea and Young argue that the rise in crime is partly because of the increased standards of living. Young believes that relative deprivation is experienced in all social strata - which can explain the theft of luxuries.

How does Subculture contribute to crime?

For Left Realists, a subculture is a group's collective solution to the problem of relative deprivation. But different groups may produced different subcultural solution to this problems. E.g. some may turn to crime to close the 'deprivation gap', while others may find that religion offers them spiritual comfort.

How does Marginalisation contribute to crime?

People who feel marginalised from society often feel powerless and are unable to improve their social position, as they lack organisations to represent their interests. This is common in ethnic minority groups. They argue that these marginal groups in society are particularly prone to violence and riots as forms of political action.

What does Jock Young comment on Marginalisation?

He highlighted that fact that social changes have been making crime worse. He argues that we have entered a period of late modernity, which is characterised by much greater uncertainty and instability. Late modernity has led to 'structural unemployment, economic instability, a systematic cutting of welfare provisions, and the growing instability of family life and interpersonal relations', which has had an affect on the amount of crime being committed.

What do Kinsey, Lea & Young claim about the origin of crime?

They claim that crime is caused by several different factors (multiple aetiology) and therefore it requires a number of different solutions. They propose a multi-agency approach to tackling crime, using the 'square of crime' to show the interactions between four elements which affect crime - the state, the public, the offender and the victim. Left Realists argue that all four work together to understand and reduce crime.

What do Kinsey, Lea & Young comment could solve the problem of crime?

They believe that policing could be dramatically improved. Evidence from victimisation studies suggests that public confidence in the police has declined, particularly in inner-city areas and amongst ethnic minorities. This distrust causes the flow of information from victims to decrease. To improve this distrust they believe that relationships between the public and the police need to be improved. Left Realists tend to favour social and community crime prevention strategies, as they believe that fostering a strong community is the key to reducing crime in the long term. E.g. Neighbourhood Watch, Community Policing & Public Youth Groups.

What is a evaluation for the Left-Realism perspective?

Left Realists recognise the importance of tackling different types of crime in different ways. The theory is overly deterministic, as not all individuals who experience relative deprivation commit crime. They overlook the importance of crime of the powerful (e.g. corporate crimes) which are often more harmful than street crimes. Marxists would argue that Left Realists don't go far enough in their suggestions for change, as only a revolution to replace the Capitalist system will truly remove the need for crime.

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