Chapter 1: Theories of crime and deviance (functionalism - Neo-Marxsim)

Question 1

What are the other 2 functions of crime according to functionalists?

Answer 1

Safety values- releases tension

Warning sign

Question 2

What did functionalist DURKHEIM say about crime?

Answer 2

It is inevitable in society

Certain amounts of crime and deviance is necessary for society to function.

Question 3

What are the 3 functions of crime according to DURKHEIM?

Answer 3

Boundary maintenance- deterrence

Social cohesion- all members feel anger after event

Adaption and change

Question 4

What was the case of Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper?

Answer 4

Serial killer murdering 13 women
Attracted to vulnerability of prostitutes

Voice of god sent him to kill prostitutes

Life sentence in prison

Question 5

What were MERTON’s 5 deviant adaptations to Strain?

Answer 5

Conformity 
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreatism
Rebellion

Question 6

What did MERTON mean by conformity?

Answer 6

Accepting social goals and pursued them through legitimate means

Majority of population

Question 7

What did MERTON mean by innovation?

Answer 7

Using crime to fit mainstream society.

Adopted illegitimate means to achieve socially.

Question 8

What did MERTON mean by ritualism?

Answer 8

Reject social goals, possibly turn to deviance, not crime

Reject goal of improvement.

Question 9

What did MERTON mean by retreatism?

Answer 9

People who have given up, rejecting life.

Commit crime to fund an addiction.

Question 10

What did MERTON mean by rebellion?

Answer 10

Reject everything and try to make their own society.

Question 11

What did MERTON say about society?

Answer 11

Society was dysfunctional

People would commit crime in order to achieve material success due to strain.

Question 12

What does REINER say about Merton’s theory of crime?

Answer 12

Supports Merton’s theory

Explains modern crimes due to the alienation caused by capitalism

(e.g. London Riots and MPs scandal)

Question 13

What are the functionalist subcultural theories based on?

Answer 13

Focuses on why young working class commit crime
-juvenile delinquency

Explains deviance in terms of subculture of social group

Explains why juvenile delinquency is often collective in natural

Question 14

Who produced the 3 functionalist subcultural theories?

Answer 14

A. Cohen- Status frustration

Cloward and Ohiln

Hirschi- Bond theory

Question 15

What was A. COHEN status frustration?

Answer 15

Must be another motivation to crime if no money is involved = status

Failure at school leads to status frustration

Subcultures emerge because groups are denied status in society

Question 16

What did CLOWARD & OHILN say about functionalist subcultural theories?

Answer 16

3 delinquent subcultures:

1. Criminal: criminal careers.
   - Hierarchy providing criminal role models
   - Focus on acquisitive crime (financial rewards)
2. Conflict
   - People have little opportunity for access to illegitimate structures
3. Retreatist subcultures
   - Members fail to succeed in both structures

Question 17

What did Marxists see criminals as?

Answer 17

Part of the lumpenproletariat

Sub-section of the proletariat not involved in legitimate employment

Question 18

Why did MARX blame capitalism for generating crime?

Answer 18

Due to the pressures generated within a capitalist system based on competition.

Question 19

What did Marxist CHAMBLISS say about crime?

Answer 19

Greed, self-interest and hostility generated by capitalist system motivated many crimes across all strata

Question 20

What did Marxist GORDON say about crime?

Answer 20

Capitalism encourages a ‘dog-eat-dog’ system of ruthless competition

Crime committed by poor is a realistic and rational response to inequality

Question 21

What does Marxists SNIDER argue about law enforcement?

Answer 21

Despite huge costs of corporate crime, chances of prosecution against those involved are small.

Rich pay compensation not to go to prison

Capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws that regulate activities of businesses and threaten profitability

Question 22

What do Functionalists believe the law reflects?

Answer 22

Reflects collective conscience of a society and hold all to account equally.

Question 23

Crime is a rational reaction to which capitalist traits according to Marxist CHAMBLISS?

Answer 23

Greed
Self-interest
Hostility

Question 24

What did Neo-Marxists believe about crime and deviance?

Answer 24

W/C are active agents who can commit crime as political response to negative experience of capitalism

Committed as protest

Don’t see W/C as passive victims of capitalism

Question 25

What did Neo-Marxists TAYLOR, WALTON & YOUNG say about crime?

Answer 25

Produced fully social theory of deviance

Answered 6 questions to understand crime:

• How crime links to inequality
• How offender interpret crime
• How offenders react to labels

Question 26

What did Neo-Marxists HALL study?

Answer 26

Media acts in interest of middle-class

Ideological function of dividing black and white leading to racial tension

Tabloids in 70’s reported mugging as racial crime against white victims

Question 27

What does labelling theory say about subcultural theories?

Answer 27

They all neglect role of the police

Police may target and label or stereotype young W/C as criminal

Question 28

What does Marxist SAYER say about crime?

Answer 28

Rich largely shape law so that they don’t end up in prison

Question 29

Under what types of strain do the W/C commit crime, according to MERTON?

Answer 29

Innovation

Rebellion

Question 30

What Marxist sociologist said society is crimiogenic?

Answer 30

Gordon