NCJ Number
164532
Date Published
1996
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This chapter assesses left realist theory's treatment of race, gender, and class and offers suggestions for further theorizing.
Abstract
The chapter first outlines the most important principles of British left realism. Although British left realist theory has not yet adequately addressed the intersection of race, class, and gender in criminology, it does contribute to a sociological understanding of the ways in which crime and its control are influenced by each of these concepts. This discussion describes and critiques left realism's consideration of race, class, and gender. Left realists recognize both the racist nature of the criminal justice system and the high rates of intraracial (e.g., black on black) victimization, and they use a subcultural approach to explain the relationship between race and crime. Although left realists have given considerable attention to class influences on crime, they have failed to address gender issues within their class concepts and to consider how white-collar crime is based in their class concept. Like most other criminological perspectives, left realism has not given sufficient consideration to gender issues in crime. In sum, the intersection of race, class, and gender is apparently not a central concern for British left realism. The author advises, however, that the realist perspective can, to a certain extent, be enhanced by explicitly articulating the relationship among race/ethnicity, class, and gender in the social construction of crime and its control. Suggestions are offered for achieving this goal. 3 figures, 9 notes, and 81 references