2.3 Flashcards
who created the strain theory?
MERTON (1938)
what is the strain theory?
• the strain between the accepted goals of the society and the socially approved means of reaching them
• states the root of crime in unequal structure of society
• blocked opportunities- WC face cover
• this creates a strain between the goals
• structural theory and functionalist
• suggests crime is committed by WC
• the strain creates an anomie and puts pressure on individuals to achieve socially accepted goals even though they lack the means of doing so
• noted American Society was built around the American Dream- not everyone could achieve this- no balance between the strong drive to achieve the dream and the actual cheques of succeeding
what is the 4 reactions to crime?
1) ritualism- simply going through the motions- accept means and reject goals
2) innovation- seeking new ways of achieving goals, including crime. Reject means and accept goals
3) retreatism- turning to drugs or alcohol in respiration. Reject means and reject goals
4) conformity- accept means and accept goals
what is an anomie?
turning to political and social rebellion
what is the evaluation for strain theory?
• too general- it’s a sweeping view of working class
• unrepresentative
• stereotypical- create and use bad stereotypes of WC
what is a subculture?
a small group within society with its own norms and values compared to the rest of society
who is Walter Miller?
• He noticed male WLC had certain interests which he called focal concerns
• Acting tough/looking for excitement
who is Cohen?
• argues that criminal and delinquent subcultures turn the norms and values of the rest of society upside down
• members of criminal subcultures might be rewarded by the subculture with positive sanction for behaving this way
- praise, receiving money, high status in the group
what is delinquency?
Behaviour that breaks the law or is seen as unacceptable and is mostly linked to the youth
how does delinquency cause crime?
• the lack of success makes them feel frustrated at their position in society
- Cohen calls this status frustration
what is an example of subculture theory?
trainspotters, drug owners, skateboarders
how does the teachers treat subcultures?
Put them in lower sets. Working class are most like to fail at school and end up with low paying jobs
how are subcultures created?
Cultural and deprivation
who’s theory is the functionalist- structural theory?
Durkeim
what does Durkeim believe in?
• Sees crime as a stable structure based on shared norms, values and believes
• significance of crime and rule breaking in society
• people share collective sentiments which is where we share ideas of what is wrong and right in society
what is an example of the structural theory?
Jamie Bulgar reminded society of how wrong the crime is and makes them stand up against what is wrong
what is the main 4 elements of the structural theory?
1) Boundary maintenance
2) Social change
3) Safety value
4) Warning lights
what is boundary maintenance?
reminding society of what’s right/wrong when people turn against the criminal
what is social change?
For society to progress norms must be broken
what is safety value?
Eg: prostitution acts to allow men release sexual frustrations without threatening nuclear family- letting off steam to prevent major crime
what does Davis argue?
Argued prostitution helps men release sexual frustration without threatening nuclear family
what is the warning light?
Deviance indicates that an institution isn’t working properly eg high truancy rates
what is Durkeim’s reasons for crime?
• reinforce crime
• social change
why is crime necessary?
For society to work as it keeps social control in check when people are punished
how does functionalist see society?
As a complex system consisting of various institutions which govern behaviour of individuals eg london riots
who created the 3 subcultures?
Cloward and Ohlin
what are the 3 subcultures?
1) criminal subcultures
2) conflict subcultures
3) retreatist subcultures
what is interactionalism?
This refers to how people in society interact with each other
who supports the interactionalism theory?
Howard Becker
what is Becker theory?
Labelling theory
what do interactionalism believe about crime statistics?
That they are socially constructed and crime itself is socially constructed
who label certain acts?
agent of social control (eg police) as deviant/criminal and punish accordingly
who created the 2 types of deviance?
Edwin Lemert
what are 2 types of deviance?
Primary deviance
Secondary deviance
what is primary deviance?
Deviance that has not been socially labelled as deviant
what is secondary deviance?
Acts that are labelled as deviant
what does the self fulfilling prophecy turn into?
Master status
what is deviance amplification?
The media can demonise people/groups of people and create a moral panic. They are made into folk devils
- this can occur which makes it difficult for someone to get rid of their label
what is the labelling theory?
this states interactions with one another as based on meanings/labels
what is an example for the labelling theory?
‘Criminal’ is a label that some people may attach to other in interactions with one another
what is crime and criminals seen as?
Social constructs
- meanings that we create through our social interactions
what does labelling certain groups as criminal cause?
Differential enforcement
- when police enforce more against 1 group than against another
what did Piliavian and Briar found?
Decisions to arrest were based on stereotypical ideas about a persons manner, dress, class, ethnicity, time and place
what do the interactionalism believe about crime statistics?
• they reject the use of the crime statistics complied by the police
• they argue that the statistics measure what the police do rather than what criminals do
what is a crime statistic example?
If the police stereotype working class males as typical criminals they will spend more time pursuing this group than middle class white collar crimes
- as a result the statistics will be full of WC males because of the police’s stereotypes
- their statistics are just for a special constructions not amount of crime
what is the Marxist theory?
a structural theory- society is unequal and shapes people’s behaviour
there are 2 classes:
1) bourgeoisie
2) proletariat
what is the bourgeoisie?
The ruling classes
- own the means of production (businesses, land, etc)
what is the proletariat?
the working class
- they are exploited by the bourgeoisie
what does capitalism cause?
Criminogenic (crime causing)
- exploitation can lead people to poverty
- utilitarian crimes are committed because capitalism pushes consumer goods
- WCC is also due to capitalism- always wanting more profit through committing corporate
how does the Marxist theory want to make and enforce the law?
different society classes are policed differently
- proletariat are policed heavily because they are expected to commit more crime
what does Chambliss believe?
Laws are made to protect the rich
- very few laws challenge the distribution of wealth
what does Marxists believe in law?
Believe that an average, 42% of the statistics presented by the government are false and misleading
who is Laura Bush?
- on the bush to cinema ran over a man
- her parents were rich and paid for a lawyer
- Bush forgot about it
what is the selective law enforcement?
WCC are less likely to be prosecuted that working class crimes
Corporate crimes are punished less severely
what is an ideology?
A set of ideas/beliefs that hide the inequality of capitalist society
what does the selective enforcement cause?
Makes it looks like crime is all down to the working class
- this creates a divide within the working class where they blame each other rather than capitalism
- shifts the attention away from WCC
- encourages the working class to accept capitalism instead of fighting for an equal society
what is right realism?
right wing / conservative outlook
- get tough on crime
what is biological differences?
Wilson and Hernstein
- personality traits associated with criminality are innate
• aggression
• risk taking
• low inteligence
what is inadequate socialisation?
- socialisation that is effective can reduce the chances of someone offending by teaching them self control and correct values
- the nuclear family is seen as the best agency of socialisation
what does Murray suggest about nuclear family?
- being undermined by generous welfare benefits
- he believes this had led to the increase in welfare dependent lone parent families
- father no longer need to be at home take responsibility for supporting their families since the state does it
what is the underclass?
This is created by welfare dependency suggested by Murray these are who fail to socialise their children properly
- absent fathers mean boys lack discipline and a male role model as they do not see a man who works to supports his family
- this causes delinquent role models, young men gain status through crime rather than supporting their families
what is the rational choice theory?
this suggests we are rational being with free will
- committing a crime is a choice based on a rational calculation of consequences
- if rewards outweigh the risks people will be more likely to offend
- tight realism argues the rate of crime is high as the perceived costs of crime are low
what is Felson’s routine activity theory?
he argued 3 factors are necessary for crime to occur
1) motivated offender
2) suitable target (victim/property)
3) absence of a capable guardian (police officers)
Felton sees offenders as acting rationally which is a why the presence of a guardian is likely to deter them
what is the left realism?
left wing/political outlook
what is relative deprivation?
- people are motivated by consumerism/materialism
- this is how deprived/badly off someone is in relation to others
who is Lea and Young?
two causes of relative deprivation:
1) media shows messages of consumer goods
2) unequal society due to cuts in benefits and low pay
what is subcultures and marginalisation?
criminal subcultures want to achieve the material goals but they resorts to crime. They feel they are discriminated against in jobs because of their education
what does Lea and young believe about marginalisation?
Marginalisation groups lack representation in organisations. They feel powerless and frustrated which they express through crime eg violence and rioting
How does left realism see society?
- Sees an inequality in capitalist society as the root causes of crime
- They argue that the main victims are disadvantaged groups
- Crime rates are highest in working class areas with high employment and deprivation
what prison design does Foucault design?
Panopticon
what is disciplinary power?
Increasingly controlled through surveillance
what is Panopticon?
- they have to constantly behave themselves due to the watchtower and prisoners don’t know if they are being watched
- this turns to self surveillance and self discipline because the control is invisible
what prison design is by Mathiesen?
Synoptic
what does synopticon mean?
Everybody watches each other
what is an example of synoptic?
- dash cam
- helmet camera
- phones
- neighbourhood watch
- word of mouth
what is actuarial?
Calculating the risk of certain events happening
who is Feeley and Simon?
- Actuarial Justice aims to predict and prevent future offending
- It uses statistics to reduce crime by compiling profiles of likely offenders
