Right Realist Explanations of Crime and Deviance

What are the 5 Right Realist explanations of Crime and Deviance?

• biology/biological factors

• the underclass

• rational choice

• routine theory

• ‘broken windows’

What are biological factors, and how do they cause Crime and Deviance (Wilson & Hernstein)?

• some individuals are born with a tendency to commit crime

• some individuals are born with aggressive tendencies, born as extroverts, and/or are prone to taking risks

• ineffective socialisation leads to tendencies being realised and is common in single-parent families 

• those born with ‘predispositions’ to crome can be diverted away from criminal behaviour with effective socialisation 

What is the underclass, and how they cause Crime and Deviance (Murray)?

• the increase in crime rates is due to the existence of an underclass

• separate attitudes and values

• the rise in single parenthood

• underclass children lack male role models and are instead influenced by delinquent peer groups

What is rational choice, and how does it cause Crime and Deviance (Wilson)?

• assessing the benefits of crime (e.g., financial gain, status) against the risks (e.g., getting caught)

• weak law enforcement contributes to the problem

• in street crime, there are minimal chances of getting caught and apprehended

• there are no longer strong enough deterrents from making the rational decision fo break the law

What is routine theory, and how does it cause Crime and Deviance (Cohen & Felson)?

• expands upon the rational choice theory

• there are three crucial conditions for a crime to unfold

• individuals must be motivated to commit crime

• opportunities & targets must be available

• a lack of capable guardians who can deter potential offenders

• most crimes are opportunistic

• considers the interplay of risk and benefit

What is ‘broken windows’, and how does it create Crime and Deviance (Wilson & Kelling)?

• informal social control (surveillance and control by ordinary, law-abiding citizens) must be maintained

• the police must clamp down on the first signs of undesirable behaviour in a neighbourhood (zero-tolerance policing)

• if just a single broken window is left unrepaired, an area can start to deteriorate

• eventually, law-abiding citizens feel unsafe in a deteriorating neighbourhood and may move away, leaving the area to criminals

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

• factors like lack of investment arguably contribute more to neighbourhood decline

• Fitzpatrick argues that poverty and social exclusion, rather than benefits claimants, drive criminality in impoverished areas