7. New right explanations of crime.

Intro:

• Right-wing views on crime (influenced by functionalism) include theorists from two areas the New Right & Right Realism.

• Right wing views are those of the conservative party. They believe that equality is neither possible nor desirable.

• they argue that state should not intervene and support those who are struggling, but instead, individuals should take responsibility for lifting themselves out of poverty.

• in relation to crime, New right theorists tend to blame criminals or deviants for their own situation.

• Right realists, who are closely related to the new right but not exactly the same, focus on how a lack of attachment to societal norms and a decline in community norms lead to crime.

New right explanations

1. Murray - the underclass

   Murray developed a cultural explanation for criminality by focusing on the idea of an underclass rather than a subculture. Murray states that the underclass does not share the same vales as other members of society and therefore sees them as responsible for a high proportion of crime.

   Murray states that the underclass’s lack of commitment to regular employment among men, delinquency among children and drunkenness is what leads to their criminal behaviour. Furthermore, the high birth rates outside of marriage found in female members of the underclass and the lack of a male role model leads to poor socialization of children that then turn to crime.

   Criticisms of Murray theory of the underclass:

   • Tham compared the welfare policies and crime rates between Britain and Sweden in the 1980s and 1990s.

   • In Sweden compared to Britain crime rates increased more in Britain than they did in Sweden.

   • Tham argues this undermines Murrays claim that the generosity of welfare payment can be held responsible for some of the underclass crime.

   • Wilkinson and Pickett’s findings in “the spirit level - why equality is better for everyone”. emphasizes again that income inequality has a huge impact on the health and social problems which occur in western societies.

2. Murray and Herrnstein - criminality and intelligence

   • in their book the “bell curve” they suggest that criminal involvement is linked to intelligence.

   • Low IQ is linked with poverty, high rates of divorce and illegitimate births. while also being associated with being unemployed and depending on the welfare state.

   • they argue that people are more likely to commit crime if they are not socialised into acceptable behaviours during their childhoods buy their family.

   • says this explains the high crime rates for the lower classes as well as ethnic minorities who are found to have lower levels of intelligence through IQ scores.

   Criticisms of Murray and Herrnstein

   • Marxists such as Snider argue against the clear focus of Murray and Herrnstein on crimes which are exclusively attached to members of the marginalised groups such as the lower classes and ethnic minoritized members.

3. Marsland - the underclass are dependant on welfare benefits

   • Marsland believes that people who are on benefits are a result of the welfare state being too generous, thus pushing individuals to not be self-reliant and let the state take responsibility for their welfare.

   • Marsland calls this a ‘culture of dependency’ which in itself is deviant because it only applies to a small proportion of the population.

   • schools and religion have become less effective agencies of social control and that the moral glue of society, which gave it its authority has gone.

   • Marsland believes that this has led to a decline in morality and as a consequence, crime has increased.

   • functionalists agree that institutions such as the family make society and that without them, society breaks down.

Criticisms of Marsland

• Marxists would argue that the lower classes are exploited in society for their labour which leads to low levels of skills and income. this situation enslaves them into the dependency culture out of a necessity rather than choice.

• Neo-Marxists such as Hall et.al. argue that the negative labelling of marginalised groups by the media further contributes to their enslavement in a cycle of dependency, as the stigma which is attached to those members reduces their opportunity to transition away from the culture of dependency and poverty.

4. A lack of civility (Denis and Erdos)

   • there has been a decline in ‘civility’ and respect for authority in communities that are characterised by anomie and cultural dis-organisation.

   • they see a decline in ‘family values’ in particular a lack of discipline inside and outside the homes.

   • Denis and Erdos focus on the decline in informal social control. In the past people would tut or shun neighbours who contravened social norms but now ‘anything goes’ and hence the decline of social order.

   • However, many on the left embrace the new liberalism that has emerged in the postmodern world e.g. having babies without being married and being gay.