Criminology - U2 - AC4.1 - Strain/Subcultural​ Left Realist​ (Marxist) Policies

Reducing Inequality

Left Realists believe tackling inequality, discrimination, and unequal access to opportunities (e.g. housing, education, employment) can reduce deprivation — the main cause of crime.

Democratic Policing: Definition

Democratic policing means police are accountable to the public, follow the rule of law, uphold human rights, and work in service of community needs.

Democratic Policing: Accountability

Police forces must be transparent, open to scrutiny, and accountable to the public, their representatives, and the law.

Democratic Policing: Community Engagement

Democratic policing emphasizes collaboration with communities through consultations, partnerships, and problem-solving initiatives.

Democratic Policing: Focus Shift

Police should prioritise crimes that victimise disadvantaged groups (e.g. hate crime, domestic violence) and move away from focusing on minor offences like soft drug possession.

Democratic Policing: Trust and Legitimacy

To rebuild public trust, especially in poorer areas, the police must move away from aggressive methods like stop and search and focus on building positive relationships.

Democratic Policing: Lea and Young

Left Realists Lea and Young argue that policing should be more democratic and community-based. They stress the need for police to regain public confidence by focusing on local concerns and working in partnership with the community.

Multiagency Approach (MAT)

Left Realists argue that effective crime control requires multiple agencies (e.g. police, social services, youth services, NHS, probation) working together to address the social causes of crime.

MAT: No Knives, Better Lives Example

The No Knives, Better Lives campaign is a multi-agency initiative involving police, schools, councils, youth services, and voluntary groups to reduce knife crime.

MST: Tackling Poverty

Policies that reduce poverty — such as higher minimum wages, better job security, and more generous welfare benefits — help address the economic strain that leads individuals to commit crime out of necessity or frustration.

MST: Equal Opportunities in School

Educational reforms that address inequality — like better funding for disadvantaged schools and anti-discrimination policies — can reduce school failure rates, helping working-class youth avoid deviance and subcultures.

MST: Education in Prison

Since around half of UK prisoners have a reading age of 11, improving prison education programmes can help inmates build skills, gain employment after release, and reduce reoffending rates.

New Labour: ‘Tough on Crime’ Approach

From 1997–2010, New Labour adopted Left Realist ideas — e.g. Communities that Care, a policy targeting deprivation in local areas, showing commitment to tackling both crime and its root causes.

New Labour: Left Realist Influence

New Labour (1997–2010) adopted Left Realist principles with the slogan “Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”, combining crime control with social reform policies targeting deprivation and inequality.

New Labour: Communities that Care

The Communities that Care programme was a New Labour policy aimed at regenerating deprived neighbourhoods — an example of tackling the causes of crime by improving local conditions.

MAT: No Knives, Better Lives

No Knives, Better Lives is a multi-agency initiative involving police, schools, local councils, youth services, and voluntary groups. It aims to reduce knife crime through education, engagement, and coordinated prevention efforts.