Right Realism

• Characteristics of right realists?

  • believe crime is a real social problem with requires practical solution
  • accept crime stats, despite flaws, they do represent real crimes
  • focus on impact of crime on victims/communities
• Wilson


  • tries justifying that crime undermines societies morals --> poverty isn't root (not all in poverty commit crime)
  • argues young males = most criminal group
  • when crime has benefits, more people commit crime

  A02 -> Luigi Mangione CEO murderer
• 'Rational Choice Theory' -> Clarke & Cornish


  • crime is rational choice
  • crime occurs when:

  1. higher reward than normative means (Merton)
  2. no risk of being caught
  3. no punishment
• Wilson & Kelling (1982)


  • disorder in the community -> people stay inside -> crime flourishes (nobody to challenge them)
  • downward spiral:

  1. people move away
  2. criminal culture forms
  3. uncontrolled perception of area
  4. crime culture solidified with increase in crime (police r useless)
• Kelling 1982


  • longitudinal study
  • examined effected of increasing foot patrols

  FINDINGS

  • did not remove crime
  • public perception of crime reduced
  • police had increased contact with citizens (improved relationships)
• 'Broken Window Theory' -> Wilson & Kelling 1982


  • crime more likely to occur where people don't care
  • 'broken window' = broken community: graffiti, vandalism etc
  • if broken window isn't fixed, it will attract more disorder
• 'Bio-Social Theory' -> Wilson & Hernstein


  • microtheory = emphasis on individual
  • biological factors make some people predisposed to criminality

  Characteristics of Biological factors:

  • poor impulse control
  • short temper

  Characteristics of Social factors:

  • lack discipline
  • single mothers
• +VE EVALUATION

  1. addresses causes of crime
  2. provides practical approaches of dealing with crime
  3. recognises importance pf community control & response
• -VE EVALUATION

  1. ignores wider structural causes: poverty
  2. overstated offenders rationality before committing crime
  3. explain utilitarian crime NOT violent
  4. Lily et Al found low IQ accounts for only 3% crimes
  5. doesn't consider white-collar crimes