This document lists 20 concepts related to theories of crime and criminal justice policy. It asks the reader to determine whether each concept is more closely associated with right realism, left realism, or both. Right realism focuses more on individual responsibility and tougher law enforcement responses to crime. Left realism emphasizes social and economic factors that may contribute to criminal behavior as well as alternative, community-based approaches. Many of the concepts listed, such as addressing structural causes of crime, democratic police control, and multi-agency prevention could apply to both realisms. Others like zero tolerance and tougher sentencing seem more right, while relative deprivation and marginalization seem more left.

1. RIGHT REALISM, LEFT REALISM OR BOTH?
Task: look at this list of concepts – decide which is related to RIGHT REALISM, LEFT REALISM OR BOTH
KEY CONCEPT/KEY IDEA/KEY POLICY RIGHT
REALISM, LEFT
REALISM OR
BOTH?
1 Need to address deeper structural causes of crime as
well as tackling crime head on through initiatives like
community policing
2 Zero Tolerance
3 Victimology – emphasis should be on the victims
4 Rational choice theory
5 Relative deprivation
6 Biological explanations for crime e.g. compulsive
disorders
7 Democratic control of the police
8 Broken windows thesis
9 Target hardening
10 Bio-social explanations for crime
11 Marginalisation
12 Criminogenic underclass
13 Zero tolerance
14 Prison works
15 Tougher prison sentences
16 subcultures
17 Tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime
18 Multi-agency and community based forms of crime
prevention
19 Official crime statistics reliable
20 Bulimic society