2.3 Sociological Theories Flashcards
Durkheim beliefs
• Society based on shared values and norms
. Live in social solidarity’s one harmonious unit
• do not deviate from norm but conform
• organic analogy
Functionalism 4 functions of crime
1) safety valve- release aggression and frustration (prostitution)
2) warning light- indicates change that needs to occur (truancy)
3) boundary maintenance- produces united reaction
4) social change- new ideas to deviate lead to acceptance
Functionalism inevitability of crime
Crime is inevitable as some individuals nave been inadequately socialised and this creates deviance and anomie
Merton strain theory belief of crime
. Crime occurs from unequal wealth as everyone has goal of money success
. Blocked opportunities lead to people achieving success by illegitimate means (crime) - this can be due to where they’re from, poverty and inadequate schooling
Merton’s 5 groups in society
1) conformist- achieve goals legitimately
2) innovatio- achieve goals illegitimately
3) ritualisM - give up on success but conform
4) retreatisM- reject goals and means
5) rebellion- replace norms with own ideas to change society
Cohen’s 3 subcultures of crime
Criminal - long standing criminals
Conflict - criminal opportunities in gangs
Retreatist - dropouts who overall fail
Cohen status frustration
Views subcultural deviance as a group response to failure, not just an individual one.
Marxist view of crime
Behaviour is affected by being apart of an unequal capitalist society - all institutions of a capitalist society work to maintain inequality and exploitation
Marxist 3 main elements of crime
1) capitalism causes crime
2) law making and law enforcement are biased
3) law performs ideological functions
Labelling theory belief of crime
No crime itself is deviant or criminal - society only labels it as such according to their norms and values and beliefs. Must focus on root cause of why someone committed the crime they did
Left realism and crime
Main victims are disadvantaged groups due to inequalities in capitalist society. Crime rates are highest in deprived areas with high levels of unemployment as crimes against them are taken less seriously
Right realism and crime
Street crime is a growing problem and want to find practical solutions through control and punishment.
Right realism 3 factors crime is a product of?
Biological differences
Inadequate socialisation
Attending is a rational choice
Evaluation of Durkheim
✓ first to recognise that crime can have positive functions for society
X claims society requires a certain amount of deviance to function but no way to know
X crime might be functional for some but not for victims
Evaluation of Merton strain theory
✓ shows now both normal and deviant behaviour arise from the same goals
X ignores crimes of wealthy and over predicts amount of WC crime
X focuses on utilitarian crimes ignoring crimes with no economic motive
Evaluation of cohen subcultural theory
✓show now subcultures perform a function of their members by offering solutions
✓ coward and ohIin show how different types of neighbourhoods give rise to different illegitimate opportunities
X ignore crimes of wealthy
X assume everyone begins with mainstream goals and results to subculture when they fail to achieve
Evaluation of interactionsim labelling theory
✔️shifts focus onto how police create crime by applying labels based on stereotype
✔️shows how attempts to control deviance can trigger a deviance amplification spiral
✖️ wrongly implies that once someone is labelled a deviant career is inevitable
✖️emphasises negative affects of labelling gives offenders but ignores real victims
Evaluation of Marxism
✔️shows how poverty and inequality can cause WC crime
✔️shows how both law making and law enforcement are biased against the WC
✖️ focuses on class and ignores relationship between crime and other inequalities
✖️ not all capitalist societies have high crime rates (Japan)
Evaluation of left realism
✔️ draws attention to importance of poverty, inequality and relative deprivation
✔️ draws attention to reality of street crime and its effects
✖️ over predicts number of WC crimes
✖️fails to explain white collar crimes
Evaluation of right realism
✔️Flood Page research supports the view of the decline of family
✔️Feldman found that people made rational decisions
✖️focuses too much on young males and street crime
✖️ignores the increasing gap between rich and poor
✖️not all crimes are the result of rational decisions
