AC2.3 Sociological Theories Flashcards
1
Q
What is sociology
A
Study of society and human behaviour/relationships between individuals and agencies (e.g family, education)
2
Q
Functionalism
A
- Emile Durkheim (1858 - 1917)
- theory about how society and individuals operate
- society is based on value consensus - shared norms and values are agreed upon
- social stability - society is a stable structure due to shared norms
- deviant behaviour weakens norms (anomie) which could lead to society becoming dysfunctional
-e.g anomie London riots 2011 - some crime is beneficial:
-reaffirms social boundaries (social cohesion)
-social change keeps norms up to date
-deviance indicates an agency isn’t working
3
Q
Functionalism evaluation
A
Strength
- some crime is good as it reaffirms boundaries and brings social change
Weakness
- portrays society as overly harmonious - underestimates amount of conflict in society
- too simplistic - we all agree on values with no freedom/decision making
4
Q
Strain theory
A
- Merton (1968)
- deviance is a result of a strain between goals and the accepted means of achieving them
- different levels of society have goals relative to status (upper/lower class)
- relative deprivation - strain of legitimately achieving goals
If a goal can’t be reached there will be a reaction:
- conformity - conform to succeeding goals by legitimate means
- innovation - accept goals but reject legitimate means - crime
- retreatism - unable to achieve goals and withdraw from society - e.g drug addicts
- rebellion - reject goals and means - replace goals with alternative goals e.g political activist
5
Q
Strain theory evaluation
A
Weakness
- exaggerates working class crime
-blames lower class that can’t achieve goals
-doesn’t consider upper class crime - doesn’t explain why people behave the way they do
-could be due to environmental or individualistic factors
6
Q
Marxism
A
- Karl Marx (1883)
- theory about conflict between classes in a capitalist society
- ruling class exploits working class for profit causing inequality - wealth produced by businesses go to individuals who own it
- Bonger (1961) believes capitalism is based on selfishness/greed - working class is driven to crime due to desperate circumstances of exploitation
- marx argued capitalism is unfair - predicted a workers revolution - result in fair system/communism
-False class consciousness - working class is not aware of exploitation
-hegemony - ruling class values are forced on working class
-agencies are ideological state apparatus that work for ruling class
7
Q
Marxism evaluation
A
- focuses on laws being beneficial for ruling class
- ignores ruling class crime
8
Q
Marxism - zero tolerance policing
A
- police arrest discriminately - e.g 2011 riots minor offences were arrested
Strengths
- brings back order in society - e.g 2011 riots over in 4 days
- maintains law and order (right realism)
Weaknesses
- focuses on working class crime - ignores ruling class crime
- proves police are ideological state apparatus
9
Q
Ineractionalism - labelling theory
A
- Becker
- a label is a reaction by society to a deviant/criminal act
- labels are used during interactions with others
Becker focused on Malinowski’s study on Pacific Island culture:
- incest wasn’t frowned upon if discrete
- if affair became too public, islanders reacted with abuse and ostracised offenders - e.g young man killed himself
- Becker concluded that society labels individuals as criminal
10
Q
Labelling consequences - self-fulfilling prophecy
A
- label is given
- label is heard often so label is internalised
- label becomes ‘master status’ so you can withdraw from society
- define yourself as the label so you act upon it
- deviant acts are committed which reinforce the label
- self-fulfilling prophecy is created
E.g Cicourell - typical delinquent
- if a young person acts as a delinquent they’re labelled as criminal
- increases chances of getting arrested
11
Q
Interactionalism evaluation
A
Weaknesses
- labels can be rejected
-not internalised
-Reiss studied male prostitutes that regarded themselves as straight despite having sex with men - deterministic
-implies that once labelled, deviant acts are inevitable
-no freedom of choice to change
12
Q
Moral panics and deviance amplification
A
- Cohen
-
mods and rockers clash
-negative labelling ‘folk devils’ marginalised them causing police to crack down on crime
-led to more arrests and media exaggeration which increased public concern -
Marxism
-creation of moral panics is a form of social control to support ruling class against deviant working class -
interactionalism
-interested by the process of labelling deviance and the reaction of police/media as a result of the label
13
Q
Realism theory
A
- practical view of crime which offers suggestions for policy change to reduce crime
- many government policies are inspires by realism - e.g neighbourhood watch
14
Q
Left realism
A
- labour/left wing view based on inequality of opportunity
- finds root causes of crime and gives people opportunities
- main offenders are marginalised groups - poor/in disadvantaged communities with less opportunity
- awareness of poverty and inequality of wealth causes criminality
Marginalisation
- disadvantaged communities with less opportunity
- powerless to improve situation as they have no influence on politics
- e.g young people, unemployed, ethnic minorites
15
Q
Left realism - relative deprivation
A
relative deprivation - how deprived someone feels compared to others
Lea and young argue:
- media promotes material possession
- but society is becoming more unequal (low pay, benefits cuts, etc)
- some won’t have the opportunity to afford the media promoted life style
16
Q
Right realism
A
- Conservative/Right wing view, based on rational choice
- concerned about punishing and controlling crime, not finding root cause
Rational choice theory
- criminals weigh up risks and rewards before commiting crime
- if rewards outweigh risks, crime is more likely
Broken window theory
- visible signs of crime and antisocial behaviour creates an
environment that encourages crime - incivilities - small scale crime which will flourish if not controlled
- e.g zero tolerance policing targets minor crime, creates environment of law and order, preventing major crime
Communitarianism
- idea of a connection between the community and the individual offending
- communities which deal with crime can solve their problems
-e.g neighbourhood policing
17
Q
Gentrification
A
- process of renovating ran down urban area which encourages affluent middle class to live and work there
- raises housing prices
- working class can’t afford housing/shopping so are displaced
- e.g Hackney cereal shop
18
Q
Right realism evaluation
A
Weaknesses
Ignores inequalities
- doesn’t account that some can’t achieve the same as others
- e.g working class driven to crime due to other factors
Doesn’t tackle root cause of crime
- focuses on harsh punishment
- doesn’t prevent future offenders as issue still exists
19
Q
Left realism evaluation
A
Strength
Accounts for inequalities
- society is unequal which leads to crime
- e.g working class are driven to crime due to relative deprivation
Tackles root cause of crime
- stops inequalities to prevent future crime
Weaknesses
Focuses on crime rates in poor areas
- doesn’t explain ruling class crime
- e.g white collar crime
Not everyone who is marginalised will offend
- ignores free will/choice
20
Q
Right Realism policy - penal populism
A
- policies made by governments to win votes and please public, rather than reducing crime
- government is tough of crime and punish harshly
E.g sarahs law
- criminals made a rational choice so should be punished
- policy causes DBS checks to become law
protects society from sex
offenders
21
Q
Right realism policy - prison
A
- aims to incapacitate and deter criminals
Strengths
- icncapacitation as criminals are unable to harm public
- deters offending due to harsh consequences
-links to rational choice theory
Weaknesses
- recidivism - 48% adults reoffend in 1 year
- rehabilitation not effective due to overcrowding and lack of resources
22
Q
Right realism policy - zero tolerance policing
A
- police arrest all criminals indiscriminately
Strengths
- stopped London riots in 4 days
- prevents broken window theory
Weaknesses
- focuses on street crime and ignores ruling class - Marxism
- assumes crime is only caused by rational choice
23
Q
Right realism policy - CCTV
A
- visual, digital record of activity
- used as evidence or to track/identify criminals so they can be punished
Strengths
- acts as a deterant
-83% less crime in 1st year being
used in London underground - identify criminal activity
-give leads to evidence of crime
-e.g Wayne couzens identified as
Sarah Everards attacker
Weaknesses
- target ethnic minorites/ working class
-links to left realism - targets
marginalised groups
24
Q
Right realism policy - situational crime prevention
A
- measures to prevent crime in specific situations
-e.g alarms for cars/houses
Strengths
- reduces opportunities for crime
-links to rational choice - high risk
low reward
-deters criminals - improved security prevents crime
-alarms,etc
Weaknesses
- expensive
-marginalised groups can’t afford - not always a deterant
-criminals can bypass an alarm
25
Functionalism policy - restorative justice
- when the offender meets the victim
- offender takes responsibility for crime
-gives closure to victims family
E.g Jacob Dunne
-*manslaughter for killing man in*
*drunk fight*
**Strengths**
- gives closure to victims
-*85% are satisfied with process*
- offenders take responsibility
-*reduces reoffendig rate by 14%*
-*reinforces shared values*
**Weaknesses**
- not suitable for all crimes
-*e.g sexual offences*
-*traumatic to meet offender*
- offender might not apologise
-*doesn't take responsibility*
-*waste of money/time and*
*doesn't provide closure*
26
A
27
Definition of policy and social change
**policy** - laws and regulations made by the government and organisations
**social change** - change in public attitude/opinion about an issue leading to policy development
28
Social values, norms and mores
**value** - beliefs of why a behaviour is normal which underpin our behaviour
**norms** - accepted standard of behaviour
-*informal unwritten rules*
-*formal written rules*
**mores** - essential norms society needs in order to maintain civil behaviour
29
Changing social values, norms and mores - smoking
- 1930 it was a social norm
-*glamorised by celebrities*
-*encouraged by doctors for health*
*benefits*
- today is not a social norm
-*packaging warns of dangers*
-*1960 links between lung cancer*
- campaigns like ASH publicise risk of tobacco and push for sales restrictions
- decline in opinion lead to Health Act 2007
-*smoking in enclosed public*
*places illegalised*
-*age raised from 16 to 18*
30
Public perception of crime
- policies change in society due to changes in social norms
- these changes affect the publics perception of crime
31
Public perception of crime - Drink driving
- Public began to view drink driving as against norms, so laws were introduced
- started with no limits and were up to police to decide if someone was unfit to drive
- views began changing as car ownership increased
-*1951 - 15% 1971 - 55%*
- 1967 Road Safety Act introduced blood alcohol limit
- 1968 breathalysers introduced at roadside
- penalty of up to 6 months imprisonment, harsher for repeat offences - reflects publics opinion of the crime
- 2014 survey THINK! campaign showed 92% think it's unacceptable
32
Demographic changes
- **demography** - movement of people, including immigration and emigration
33
Demographic changes - Windrush generation
- 1948 mass migration of commonwealth citizens from west India
- many lived in Central London clashed with locals for stealing jobs/housing
- Teddy boys hostile towards migrants leading to Notting Hill riots 1958
- riots lead to debates over racial prejudice
- law - Racial Relations Act 1965 outlawed discrimination over race or ethnic origins
- law - Equality Act 2010
34
Demographic changes - Steven Lawrence case 1993
- metropolitan police criticised for incompetence and racism
- macpherson report on police suggested 70 policy changes:
-*changed investigations of racist*
*offences*
-*double jeopardy rule - tried twice*
*for a crime*
- stop searches and tasers are still used disproportionately on minorties
35
Cultural changes
- changes in values and attitudes within cultures
36
Cultural changes - LGBT rights
- **individualism** - belief that individuals have the right to choose howthey live
- **equality act** - increasing focus on equal rights for all Arras of society
- **religion** - decline in influence of religion on lives, attitudes and values. Religion condemnation of homosexuality has less influence
- 1967 sexual offence act - legalised homosexuality
- 2013 marriage act - allowed marriage of same sex couples
- section 28 of local government act prohibits local authorities promoting homosexuality - removed in 2003
Transgender rights
- transexuality seen as medical condition
- attitudes are changing due to individualism
- 2004 gender recognition act - apply for certificate to change legal gender - campaigns argue that they should have the right to self declare this, but government rejects it
