S02 E03 — Populist Conservative Criminology & Right Realism (Roger Hopkins Burke)

You're listening to CSS Breakdown: Book by Book — Season 2. This season, we're exploring Roger Hopkins Burke’s ‘An Introduction to Criminological Theory.’ In Episode 3, we take a closer look at Populist Conservative Criminology and the emergence of Right Realism — a political and ideological shift that reshaped how crime and justice were approached in the late 20th century."

In Episode 3, we continue our deep dive into the rational actor model with a focus on Populist Conservative Criminology and the rise of Right Realism as outlined by Roger Hopkins Burke.

This episode explores the ideological shift brought by the "new political right" in the 1970s and 1980s in the US and UK. Thinkers like James Q. Wilson advocated for crime control policies based on the belief that criminals choose to commit crime and must be deterred through visible policing and strict punishment.

We’ll examine how this school of thought:

Rejects explanations of crime based on social disadvantage or psychological predisposition

Prioritizes public order and deterrence over rehabilitation

Influenced policies like zero tolerance policing and increased incarceration

We also reflect on the key criticisms of right realism, including its narrow focus on street crime and failure to address deeper socioeconomic causes of criminal behavior.

Perfect for CSS aspirants and students of criminology, this episode connects political ideology with practical policy shifts in the criminal justice system.