Consensus Theories of Crime Flashcards
What are the two theories relating to crime and deviance according to Durkheim?
- relationship between social change and crime
- functional role of crime in society
According to Durkheim, what was crime like in a preindustrial society?
Durkheim was interested in why crime levels were lower in pre-industrial societies compared to modern societies. In the past, European societies were binded together by mechanical solidarity meaning people had very similar roles to one another
According to Durkheim, what were the 4 reasons as to why crime levels were lower in pre-industrial societies?
- nature of work (no economic competition)
- ascribed statuses
- social controls (family honour and religion)
- nature of punishment (death penalty)
According to Durkheim, why are crime levels higher in modern societies?
European societies found themselves in organic solidarity meaning people have vastly different roles who were interdependent on each other
According to Durkheim, what are the 4 reasons as to why crime levels are higher in a modern soceity?
- specialised division of labour
- achieved status
- social control decline
- individualism
According to Durkheim, what has organic solidarity lead to in terms of crime?
Anomie, people are normlessness and there is a state of moral confusion as to what is right and wrong. Social integration began to decline and value consensus was not a thing
Evaluation of Durkheim’s theory on crime levels being linked to social change?
Crime may of not been less of a problem, it just wasn’t recorded
Crime isn’t only a problem in modern societies
Crime such as theft has always been around
According to Durkheim, how can crime play a positive role in society (why is too little or too much crime a problem)?
Too much crime = anomie and social disorder
Too little crime = state is too controlling
According to Durkheim, what are the 5 ways crime can play a functional role in society?
- functional rebellion
- social cohesion
- boundary maintenance
- safety valve
- act as a warning
According to Durkheim, how does crime prompt functional rebellion?
Problems in the way society is organised
1) people may protest or challenge a particular law
2) people may act against a traditional norm or law
According to Durkheim, how do crimes lead to social cohesion?
People come together in collective shock. Can occur globally or locally. Manchester Arena Bombing
According to Durkheim, how does crime act as a boundary maintenance?
When people commit crime, they are punished. Some offenders are put on public view via the media reminding people the consequences of crime
According to Durkheim, how does crime act as a safety valve?
Prevents more serious crime from taking place. Criminals can let off steam which will mean they do not commit serious crimes that damage societies. Sexual crimes such as prostitution is a common example
According to Durkheim, how does crime act as a warning?
Shows to policy makers loop holes in the law that need addressing. If something happens frequently or unexpectedly. For example terrorism
Evaluation of Durkheim’s claim that crime performs a functional role in society?
Crime isnt necessary to achieve these goals
A too controlling state may not be a bad thing
Crime may indeed bring about further devision
What 2 theories come under Mertons strain theory?
- causes of strain
- reactions to strain
According to Merton, what is “strain”?
When people want to achieve a certain goal, but do not have the means to achieve it
According to Merton, how did people feel strain in America?
People in the USA were encouraged to pursue materialistic values and to believe in the American Dream. This was done through hard work and meritocracy
Merton believed the American Dream to be a cultural myth. Many people were born into backgrounds that meant they could not be anything they wanted (WASPS). Many people had blocked opportunities in life which restricted their access to the American Dream. People still, however, had agreement on what the goals the dream should be. People felt “strain” as they lacked the means of achieving goals
Evaluation of Merton’s theory on the causes of strain?
- better than other countries, at least some people can access the dream
- things have changed in American society, welfare state e.c.t
According to Merton, what are the 5 responses to strain?
- conformity
- innovation
- ritualism
- retreatism
- rebellion
According to Merton, what is conformity?
When people continue to accept the goals of society and try to achieve them using legal means
According to Merton, what is innovation?
When an individual continues to accept the goals of society but turn to alternative methods to achieve them i.e. crime
According to Merton, what is ritualism?
When an individual has given up on the goals of society but still accept that they need to follow the norms and values of society. They preside in low income job roles usually
According to Merton, what is retreatism?
When an individual has given up on the goals of society but do not try to maintain any legitimate job i.e. homeless
According to Merton, what is rebellion?
When an individual has given up on the goals of society but go out of their way to show that they have given up. They create their own goals in life to work towards
Evaluation of Merton’s responses to strain theory?
- people can engage in multiple reactions to strain
- doesn’t tell us why people react in the way they do
What are the subcultural theories of crime?
Believe that most crime is caused by consensus, people turn to crime to achieve the goals of the shared society but find they are unable to do this. Crime however, according to subculturalists, happens within subcultures
According to Cohen (1955), why did status frustration lead to working class. boys commiting crime?
Cohen believed that a deviant subculture emerged within school age boys, crime was therefore committed to achieve status rather than financial gain. Many working class boys have a low social status in mainstream society and wanted respect from others
According to Cohen, what are the 2 ways in which working class boys feel status frustration?
- inadequate socialisation from parents
- poor experience of education
According to Cohen, how does inadequate socialisation from children lead to status frustration and crime?
Working class parents do not socialise their children in the correct way, they do not provide them with the shared norms and values of society. This leads to cultural deprivation whereby they lack the skills and knowledge required to be successful in school and later life.
According to Cohen, how does a poor experience of education lead to status frustration?
Occurs because of the bad socialisation, boys arrive at school ill equipped to learn and they are written off by their teachers as badly behaved. This leads to a SFP further contributing to their underachievement and the desire to gain status from peers.
According to Cohen, what does inadequate socialisation and a poor experience of education lead to?
Status frustration. These people are denied respect and status so gravitate towards deviant subcultures to gain respect. These subcultures seek an alternative status and take part in petty crimes such as truancy, smoking, vandalism and shoplifting.
Evaluation of Cohen’s status frustration theory?
- gender blind
- some working class may raise their children correctly
- violence and murder this theory cannot explain
According to Cloward and Ohlin (1960), what are illegitimate opportunity structures?
Focus on the way some peoples opportunity for success is blocked by social barriers, Cloward and Owen focus on the subcultural responses to barriers
According to Cloward and Ohlin, what are the 3 types of illegitimate opportunity structures?
- criminal subculture
- conflict subculture
- retreatist subculture
According to Cloward and Ohlin, what is a criminal subculture?
Most organised subculture, operate in a business like way with people starting at the bottom and working up the ladder. People are usually recruited and such subculture tends to dominate illegal trading of drugs and people (similar to innovation)
According to Cloward and Ohlin, what is a conflict subculture?
Made up of young working class males and are found in inner city areas. They participate in petty crimes and anti social behaviour. There tends to rivalry between groups resulting in violence and vandalism of other properties.
According to Cloward and Ohlin, what is the retreatist subculture?
People who are “double failures” meaning they have not succeeded in anything in life as a result they come together collectively to take part in drug use and alcohol abuse.
According to Cloward and Ohlin, what are the 2 reasons crime is more common in inner-city areas?
- differential association
- social disorganisation
- cultural transmission
According to Cloward and Ohlin, why crime more common in inner city areas due to differential association?
People who are not criminals themselves but come into contact with established criminal masterminds. They pick up deviant behaviour and it become normal for them
According to Cloward and Ohlin, why is crime more common in inner city areas due to social disorganisation?
Inner city areas are often very run down so crime thrives there as there is no real sense of community. This allows the conflict subculture to thrive as territorial gangs make their “turf”.
According to Cloward and Ohlin, why is crime more common in inner city areas due to cultural transmission?
Experienced criminals are able to pass their knowledge onto new criminals. This is particulary common in a criminal subculture where there are ladders to crime for status.
Evaluation of Cloward and Ohlin’s view that there are different types of illegitimate opportunity structure?
-why do people end up here
-subcultures can overlap
-
