ASSIGNMENT 1 CRIMINOLOGY REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ASSIGNMENT 1 CRIMINOLOGY REPORT - Essay Example Their seminal work "Relative Deprivation" (1984) had gained considerable attention in the debate between left and right realism approach to crime alleviation. In their work Lea and Young (1984) address the concept of relative deprivation, and explain that it is not a new phenomenon but an old left realist concept. They explain that crime is the by product of material deprivation and poverty. However, they are of the view that relative deprivation occurs where individuals and groups feel they are deprived of social amenities when compared to fellow group members of similar settings and outlook. Relative deprivation is the term they use to categorize criminal behaviour of individuals in groups who may be considered relatively economically sound but due to other causes and factors, motivate them to engage in criminal or deviant behaviour. This explains the behaviour of religious uprising, social movements, disputes, and similar radical movements. Relative deprivation is unlike absolute deprivation which is a biological deprivation phenomenon. Moreover, they explain that relative deprivation helps explain the criminal behaviour of individuals within an otherwise economically sound environment. Riots, uprising and social movements etc. are the collective responses of relative deprivation. This is different than individual crime and, collective criminal activities. Relative deprivation helps one to understand social, religious and political disorders; but more importantly it helps sociologists and policy makers to understand and respond to crime and deviance from a multi-causal perspective. Lea and Young are of the view that there is no single factor which accounts for criminal behaviour. Instead, criminal behaviour comprises of subculture behaviour, relative deprivation and marginalization. When these are linked with other factors such as economic, social or religious etc., then the significance of the crime is explanatory under relative deprivation theory. The