Realist Approaches to Crime

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Key Theorists and Terms

Key theorists:

Murray

Wilson

Lea and Young

Clarke

Wilson and Kelling

Young

Pryce

Key terms:

marginalisation - feeling ostracised from society, having no one to represent your interests

rational choice - waying up costs and benefits before commiting a crime

relative deprivation - feeling deprived (not materially) and perhaps not having the same things as others

subcultures - group with different norms and values to mainstream society

underclass - people who have different norms and values to mainstream society and depend on the state for survival

zero tolerance - social control agents being strict and punishing all crimes

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Realist approaches are more political than sociological, as they stem from the New Right view of society. This practical approach accepts that official statistics of crime have validity and reflect reality. Therefore, they argue that working class men and ethnic minority groups commit more crime because of their over-representation in the prison population.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJotrsvQbNU (Embed)

In California, there is a 'three strikes rule' that was implemented to punish low level crimes. This means that if three offences are committed within a limited amount of time, the convicted criminal can be sentenced to 25 years to a life sentence, regardless of the severity of such crimes.

This man's offences were:

Strike 1: Attempted burglary of an empty residence

Strike 2: Actual burglary of a residence

Strike 3: Caught with $5 worth of drugs

None of the crimes were ever violent, and Shane Hayes' case is like that of 4,000 other inmates in California.

Shane may have committed these offences because of his childhood; he used methamphetamine as an escape from poverty and became addicted. The burglaries he committed were to get more money for drugs.

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Summary