AC 1.3

• Right realism


  Conservative political outlook
• Charles Murray


  Rejects the Marxist view that crime is a result of structural inequalities in capitalism
• Factors that may cause crime (according to right realism)

  • Biological differences
  • Inadequate socialisation
  • Rational choice
• Felson's routine activity theory


  • Similar to rational choice theory
  • For a crime to occur, 3 factors need to be present: a motivated offender, a suitable target, and absence of a capable guardian
  • Felson sees criminals as acting rationally, therefore the presence of a guardian is unlikely to deter them
• Durkheim


  Left realism
• There will always be one who will stand out among others in a 'society of saints'
• Left realism


  • Agree with the Marxist view that social inequality within capitalism is the main form of crime
  • Argue that the main victims are often working class, ethnic minorities & women
  • Police take crimes against these groups less seriously
  • See crime rates as being highest in areas of unemployment & deprivation
• Crime is a real problem & disadvantaged groups are the main victims
• Accept that corporate crime is a problem- not as important as 'street crime'
• Marxists focus too much on crimes of the powerful
• Neo-Marxists romanticise working class crime- often the working class commit crime against the working class (no Robin Hoods!)
• Labelling theory


  Working class are the victims?
• Left realists see 3 leading causes of crime

  • Relative deprivation
  • Marginalisation
  • Subcultures
• Relative deprivation on its own is not enough to cause crime, it needs individualism as well
• Individualism


  Concern with the self- self-interest at the expense of others
• Explanations lie in the inequalities created by capitalist society, but unlike neo-Marxist predecessors they are more guarded about the possibilities of fundamental change in the short term
• Tackling crime


  • Practical measures to reduce crime such as improving policing & control
  • Dealing with deeper structural causes of crime: pushing for long term change to a more equal caring society which can ultimately eliminate the root of causes of crime
• Encourage better agency interactions
• Labelling & self-fulfilling prophecy

  Effects of labelling can have a negative impact- look for other alternatives to avoid the self-fulling prophecy
• Crime control model


  Conveyor belt model - Once you're on it, you go through all the stages of crime
• Crime control model


  • Guilt of the accused is implied in order to protect society from violence and danger
  • Prevention or reduction crime it its overriding aim
  • It prioritises punishment as a sanction in order to prevent & deter people from committing further crimes
  • Trust is placed in the hands of police and authorities to carry out investigations properly
  • Pro-police powers & enhanced powers
  • Looks for dealing with criminal cases quickly
• How the crime control model links to the criminal justice system:

  • Police have legislative powers (under PACE) to stop, search, arrest & detain suspects on reasonable grounds with reasonable suspicion 
  • In suspected terrorist arrests the police can detain for longer than the usual 24 hour period- up to 14 days 
  • The abolishment of the double jeopardy rule means that a person can be tried for the same offence twice 
  • Evidence of past bad character can be permitted by the court 
  • Routes of appeal can be complicated and not always allowed by superior courts 
• The due process model 

  • Known as the obstacle course 
  • Legislative obstacles to overcome before a person is convicted to ensure thoroughness of investigation 
  • Innocent until proven guilty 
  • Opposite principles to crime control 
  • Presumes innocence of the individual and that every person has a right to a fair trial (links with article 5 HR right to liberty/Art 6 right to fair trial) 
  • Suggests that the justice system should provide appropriate safeguards for accused (e.g. codes of practice under PACE) 
  • Argues that police powers should be limited to prevent oppression of individual liberties 
• How the due process model links to the criminal justice system

  1. PACE provides codes of practice that set out the rights of the person being detained

  2. When someone is arrested the codes of practice must be offered to the person so they can make themselves aware of their rights
• Due process model


  • Strict rules on the admission of evidence- relating any hearsay evidence, coercive confessions and any evidence that the court feels is not in the interest of justice to be put before a jury
• Due process model

  • Right to a jury by one's peers
• Long standing right dating back to

  Magna Carta
• Human Rights Act - Article 6

  Right to a fair trial
• Crime control model pt2:

  • conveyor belt model
  • guilt of the accused
  • prioritises the rights of the victim
  • response to moral panic
  • swift justice, deterrence
  • detention for terrorists
• Crime control model:

  • Human Rights Act - looks to get around it. if the offender has committed a crime they don't deserve human rights as they have infringed someone else's
  • Amendment of Double Jeopardy
• Case study that links to crime control - Colin Stagg

  •  Police used Lizzie James undercover letters to try and obtain a conviction