new right

• Context - the emergence of New Right crime theory

  Offers a conservative perspective on crime and deviance, placing a strong emphasis on individual responsibility and limited government intervention.

  Theorists argue personal choices and moral values play a significant role in criminal behaviour.
• Charles Murray 'Losing Ground' and the emerging British underclass


  Murray - government welfare programs have unintentionally incentivised single-parent households and discouraged self-sufficiency.

  These factors contribute to an increase in crime and deviance particularly among the lower socio-economic strata - 'underclass'.

  Murray predicted Britain would have a large underclass of single-parents and their children who would go on to be unemployed/delinquent - felt proved by the rise of NEETs.

  NEETs - Not in Employment, Education or Training.
• Murray and the role of the family

  Emphasises the importance of the traditional nuclear family as a central institution in preventing criminal behaviour.

  Breakdown in family values and the rise of single-parent households can lead to an increase in criminality.

  Lone mothers are ineffective agents of socialisation and absent fathers mean boys lack paternal discipline and appropriate male role models.

  So young working-class males turn to other delinquent role models on the street to gain status on the streets through crime rather than supporting their families through a steady job.
• Hirschi - Bond theory


  Control theory - believes individuals have a natural inclination toward deviant behaviour and it is the strength of social bonds and controls that prevent them form engaging in criminal behaviour.

  New Right theories and control theory share common themes related to individual responsibility and social bonds.
• Weaknesses of Hirschi - Bond theory


  Doesn't adequately account for structural constraints that limit an individual's opportunities and influence their decision-making.

  Overemphasise personal responsibility at the expense of societal factors.
• Individual responsibility


  Bothe New Right and Bond Theory emphasise the importance of individual choice and responsibility in criminal behaviour.

  New Right argues individuals must be accountable for their actions.

  Bond Theory suggests strong social bonds deter individuals from engaging in deviance and we take responsibility to engage with our bonds.
• Strengths of Individual responsibility

  The poorest neighbourhoods marginalise the individuals who live there, poor neighbourhoods have failing schools, high level so unemployment, insufficient housing and lower life expectancy - these problems don't occur in affluent suburbs.

  There is a clear correlation with lone-parent families on benefits and NEETs as well as crime statistics.
• Family as a social control

  Bond theory supports New Right's emphasis on the family's role in preventing crime.

  A strong family unit can provide the necessary social bonds and controls to keep individuals on the path of conformity.
• Weaknesses of Family as a social control

  Left realists strongly disagree with New Right explanation for crime, crime is caused by the structure of society that marginalises certain groups.

  Amplified by relative deprivation where individuals are exposed to goods and services they can't access though TV and social media, this leads to some individuals breaking the law as the only way of acquiring the things they desire.
• Limited government intervention


  New Right advocated for limited government intervention in addressing crime and deviance.

  Bond theory aligns with this emphasising the role of informal social controls, eg. family and community rather than relying on government programs.
• Weaknesses of Limited government intervention

  New Right oversimplify complex issues related to crime and deviance, claim emphasis on individual responsibility and limited government intervention can lead to neglect of structural factors, eg. poverty and inequality that contribute to criminal behaviour.