Chapter 1: Theories of crime and deviance (functionalism - Neo-Marxsim) Flashcards
What are the other 2 functions of crime according to functionalists?
Safety values- releases tension
Warning sign
What did functionalist DURKHEIM say about crime?
It is inevitable in society
Certain amounts of crime and deviance is necessary for society to function.
What are the 3 functions of crime according to DURKHEIM?
Boundary maintenance- deterrence
Social cohesion- all members feel anger after event
Adaption and change
What was the case of Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper?
Serial killer murdering 13 women
Attracted to vulnerability of prostitutes
Voice of god sent him to kill prostitutes
Life sentence in prison
What were MERTON’s 5 deviant adaptations to Strain?
Conformity Innovation Ritualism Retreatism Rebellion
What did MERTON mean by conformity?
Accepting social goals and pursued them through legitimate means
Majority of population
What did MERTON mean by innovation?
Using crime to fit mainstream society.
Adopted illegitimate means to achieve socially.
What did MERTON mean by ritualism?
Reject social goals, possibly turn to deviance, not crime
Reject goal of improvement.
What did MERTON mean by retreatism?
People who have given up, rejecting life.
Commit crime to fund an addiction.
What did MERTON mean by rebellion?
Reject everything and try to make their own society.
What did MERTON say about society?
Society was dysfunctional
People would commit crime in order to achieve material success due to strain.
What does REINER say about Merton’s theory of crime?
Supports Merton’s theory
Explains modern crimes due to the alienation caused by capitalism
(e.g. London Riots and MPs scandal)
What are the functionalist subcultural theories based on?
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
Who produced the 3 functionalist subcultural theories?
A. Cohen- Status frustration
Cloward and Ohiln
Hirschi- Bond theory
What was A. COHEN status frustration?
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
What did CLOWARD & OHILN say about functionalist subcultural theories?
3 delinquent subcultures:
- Criminal: criminal careers.
- Hierarchy providing criminal role models
- Focus on acquisitive crime (financial rewards) - Conflict
- People have little opportunity for access to illegitimate structures - Retreatist subcultures
- Members fail to succeed in both structures
What did Marxists see criminals as?
Part of the lumpenproletariat
Sub-section of the proletariat not involved in legitimate employment
Why did MARX blame capitalism for generating crime?
Due to the pressures generated within a capitalist system based on competition.
What did Marxist CHAMBLISS say about crime?
Greed, self-interest and hostility generated by capitalist system motivated many crimes across all strata
What did Marxist GORDON say about crime?
Capitalism encourages a ‘dog-eat-dog’ system of ruthless competition
Crime committed by poor is a realistic and rational response to inequality
What does Marxists SNIDER argue about law enforcement?
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
What do Functionalists believe the law reflects?
Reflects collective conscience of a society and hold all to account equally.
Crime is a rational reaction to which capitalist traits according to Marxist CHAMBLISS?
Greed
Self-interest
Hostility
What did Neo-Marxists believe about crime and deviance?
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
What did Neo-Marxists TAYLOR, WALTON & YOUNG say about crime?
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
What did Neo-Marxists HALL study?
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
What does labelling theory say about subcultural theories?
They all neglect role of the police
Police may target and label or stereotype young W/C as criminal
What does Marxist SAYER say about crime?
Rich largely shape law so that they don’t end up in prison
Under what types of strain do the W/C commit crime, according to MERTON?
Innovation
Rebellion
What Marxist sociologist said society is crimiogenic?
Gordon
