AC 2.3 Describe Sociological Theories of Criminality

Question 1

The Social Structure Theories

Answer 1

• Functionalism
• Marxism
• Right Realism

Question 2

Functionalism

Answer 2

• view the structure of society as being the underlying cause of crime.
• society is a social system made up of interdependent parts
• social institutions work together to create social order in society.
• social order maintained through value consensus, social integration, and social control

Question 3

Functionalism - Durkheim (1858-1917)

Answer 3

• founder of functionalism
• interested in how things work to benefit society as a whole, including crime
• “crime is normal … an integral part of all healthy societies”

Question 4

Durkheim Evaluation Strengths

Answer 4

• first to recognise that crime can have positive functions for society
• links crime to social structural influences

Question 5

Durkheim Evaluation Weaknesses

Answer 5

• fails to recognise that many laws support status quo leading to increased criminality amongst the least powerful in society
• fails to provide own explanation of the cause of crime
• crime could be viewed as dysfunctional in society due to the level of suffering endured by its victims

Question 6

Merton’s Strain Theory (1938)

Answer 6

• believed root cause of crime lay in unequal structure of American society
• strain between socially accepted goals of society and legitimate means of achieving these goals
• leads to a state of anomie and was most likely to occur to those in the lower social classes who have limited resources and opportunities

Question 7

Merton’s five individual responses to feelings of anomie

Answer 7

• Conformity = accept means and goals
• Innovation = reject means but accept goals
• Ritualism = accept means and reject goals
• Retreatism = reject means and goals
• Rebellion

Question 8

Merton’s Strain Theory Evaluation Strengths

Answer 8

• explains how crime occurs due to social strain and consequences of individuals adapting to the strain
• explains why working-class crime rates may be higher

Question 9

Merton’s Strain Theory Evaluation Weaknesses

Answer 9

• too deterministic, as not all working-class people resort to crime
• fails to explain crime committed by gangs/group responses
• doesn’t explain why particular individuals respond in the specific way they do
• fails to explain crime that does not have a monetary gain such as drug taking and violence