Sociology: Outline and assess left and right realist explanations of crime deviance.

The right realist perspective on crime is mainly associated with the American sociologist W.J Wilson. This perspective became very influential on home office policy-making during the conservatives period in office. The right realist approach assumes that human beings are naturally selfish, individualistic and greedy. Therefore ther are 'naturally inclined' to further their interest, even if this means comitting crime. They also believe the origins of crime are misunderstood, that is policies aimed at tackling …showed first 75 words of 713 total…

…showed last 75 words of 713 total…offenders is required. Lea and Young do not really explain why the majority of working class and Afro-Caribbean youth do not turn to crime. Left realism only focuses on collective or subcultural criminal responses and does not explain crimes such as burglary, which are commited by individuals rather than gangs. It focuses exclusivley on street crime and ignores other serious crimes such as fraud and it fails to account for oppurtunistic crime commited by adults.