left realism

Created by

kerakse7en

Cards (13)

what did lea and young identify? 
three related causes of crime: relative deprivation; subculture; marginalisation
what is relative deprivation?
how deprived or badly off someone feels in relation to others
what two factors did lea and young argue are increasing people’s sense of relative deprivation?
the media continually pump out messages urging everyone to aspire to material possessions; society is becoming more unequal due to cuts in benefits, unemployment, job insecurity and low pay
what are the two extremes of relative deprivation?
many people now have no chance at ever affording the sort of lifestyle the media portray; footballers, ‘fat cat’ bankers and others receive what many regard as undeservedly high rewards
what occurs due to perceived unfairness? 
some people resort to crime to obtain what they feel should be rightfully theirs
what is ‘relative deprivation downwards’?
people who are better off feel resentment against those who are actually worse off, who they see as scroungers. this may explain some hate crimes against powerless groups
what do subcultures solve?
the problem of relative deprivation
what do criminal subcultures share with society?
materialistic goals
why do criminal subcultures resort to crime?
because legitimate opportunities are blocked
what does crime become an alternative means of achieving?
the consumer goods that people desire
what do some subcultures turn to rather than crime?
religion - this may encourage conformity rather than criminality
what do lea and young claim about marginalised groups?
they are groups that lack organisations to represent their interests and lack clearly defined goals
unlike workers, who have clear goals and organisations to give voice to their grievances, what do jobless youths have?
no clear goals or organisations to represent them. instead, they have a sense of powerlessness, frustration and resentment of injustice, which they express through crimes such as violence and rioting