Crime : Young, Lea and Matthews

• The writers (including Young) argued that New Criminologists had romanticised crime, portraying it as a justified response by the working classes to the social system in which they lived. Young in particular was keen to point out the flaws of New Criminology. New Criminologists claimed that crime would decrease if we lived in a more equal society (socialism). Young was aware that 1980's Britain was not ready for socialism and therefore something else had to be done in order to tackle crime.
• For Left Realists it is important to take crime seriously; it has very real effects on its victims which are often ignored by idealist sociologists. They used evidence from Merseyside and London to prove that poorer people are not only likely to be the criminals but are also more likely to be the victims. They found that unskilled workers are twice as likely to be burgled than other workers.
• They argue that Official Statistics are in fact correct and accept that the majority of crime is committed by young, black, working class males. However, rather than perhaps blame poor socialisation, New Left Realism blames the government, as they should be implanting policies into the targeted areas to give the residents something to do.
• At present the police spend too much time and energy dealing with certain crimes (minor drug offences and juvenile crime) and not enough time dealing with others (racially motivated attacks, corporate crime and pollution). In order for crime to be reduced certain problems within society first need to be tackled. Improving areas and communities are the best ways to overcome crime. Police may appear to be the face of the justice system but it is in fact the community that prevents crime.
• Lea and Young explain why people turn to crime using three key concepts:

  • Relative deprivation - This is how far someone sees themselves deprived compared to others.
  • Subculture - Working class subculture develop and change over time; they often see offending as acceptable behaviour.
  • Marginalisation - Some groups find themselves as outsiders, both economically and politically, through unemployment, poor education or a lack of community.