Right Realists

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    Created by
    paige bownass

    Cards (6)

    • Solutions for crime:
      • zero-tolerance policy
      • target hardening
      • Broken window theory If one single broken window is left unrepaired, an area can deteriorate and law abiding citizens will not feel safe. It is essential to maintain orderly characteristics of neighbourhoods -> Any signs of crime should be addressed immediately
    • Causes of crime:
      Biological causes of crime -> Heinstein and Murray
      Socialisation causes of crime -> Murray
      Rational Choice causes of crime -> Clarke
    • Socialisation and the underclass
      • Effective socialisation decreases the risk of offending since it involves learning self-control and internalising moral values of right and wrong. ->best agency of socialisation is the nuclear family. 
      • Murray argues crime is increasing because of a growing underclass. He argues individuals have become too dependent on the state and there has been a growth in lone parent families.
      • Absent fathers leave single mothers as ineffective agents of primary socialisation, particularly for young boys. Young males turn to crime and gain status through this.
    • Rational choice theory: Clarke
      • The decision to commit crime is one in which the criminal weighs up the rewards against risk. This is because people have free will and the power of reason. 
      • The perceived costs of crime are low and this is why the crime rate has increased. Right realists argue there is often little risk of being caught and punishments are lenient.
      • Harsher punishments:  retributive justice
      • The punishment must fit the crime
      • Longer and harsher prison sentences
      • Shaming & stigmatisation
      • Capital punishment
      • 3-strikes and you’re out’ (US)
      • Automatic minimum sentencing (for 2nd offence) (UK)
    • Biological causes of crime - Herrnstein & Murray 
      •  Certain personality traits, e.g. aggressiveness, impatience, extroversion, can make individuals more predisposed to criminality.
      • Herrnstein and Murray (1994) argue that Criminal behaviour linked to low IQ, which is a hereditary trait, biologically determined.
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