consensus theories of crime Flashcards
Definitions of crime and deviance
Crime:actions which break laws
deviance:actions which break social norms
Discuss Social change+Crime
functionalist-Durkheim:
PREINDUSTRIAL ERA (mechanical)
-mechanical-people had similar roles and in result were bound together through similarities
-Ascribed status-no real competition in status,what ever job your family did you would go into that job as you get older
-social control-people had a strong sense of family honour and didn’t want to disgrace their families by engaging in criminal actions.People were also very religious which meant people were in fear of breaking the rules of the bible
-punishment-punishments were a lot harsher,people who were caught committing crimes could be beaten and were usual,y corporal punishments
INDUSTRIAL ERA (organic)
-organic(specialised roles-people were not bound together by similarities but by there differences
-achieved status-instead of inheriting jobs,people had to make their own livings and find their own paths which leads to crime
-decline in social controls-People found themselves moving around a lot for jobs so got more detached from their family name,idea of keeping a family name was lost,also secularisation occurring-decline in religious thinking occurred
-individualism-people started putting their own needs above others,means more crime
-modern societies are prone to anomie:state of normlessness and moral confusion.Leads to decline in social integration.
-However although crime rates are high not all people commit crime this is due to value consensus-people agree and conform the laws of society
EVALUATION
in pre industrial era there was no way of recording crime therefore cant be compared to crime today
-crimes and violence has always existed especially against women and children this is due to patriarchy
Discuss the functions of crime and deviance within society
Durkheim:
functional rebellion:provokes social change by highlighting problems in the way society is organised+inadequacies of current laws.Done by protests or challenging particular laws
social cohesion:bringing the rest of the law conforming citizens together in collective shock.Usually when something more serious happens and has emotional impact
boundary maintenance:punishment reminds us that certain behaviours are unacceptable.Punishements are shared via the media
safety valve:prevents more serious crimes occurring.If people are aloud to push there boundaries and let off some steam it prevents more serious crimes happening
warning:some crimes may act as a warning,if the same crimes or deviant actions occur regularly raises awareness of social problems to the people who are developing the laws
evaluation:
crime isnt required to achieve boundary maintenance-existence of law is enough to control behaviour
some crime divides the population,eg terror offences causes surge in racial crimes
Discuss the Strain theory
functionalist-Merton:
-believes US crime could be linked to the American dream
american dream:anyone could achieve success in the USA if they work hard,land of opportunities
-people are told they can achieve any goal they desire but this is a cultural myth-some people are more successful than others-WASP:white,anglo,saxon,protestants
-not everyone has access to the dream,eg- working class,ethnic minorities,catholics
-people suffer from strain
-strain is caused by two issues:
blocked opportunities-prevented access to goals
value consensus:agree with goals of society but don’t do this legitimately always
evaluation:
America have lots of job opportunities+provide free education-theory is harsh
Outdated theory-social change has occurred
Responses to strain
Conformity:accept goals and desire to achieve them.Accept that in order to achieve goals they must follow rules of society
Innovation:accept goals of society and desire to achieve them.Try alternative means to achieve them using crime
Ritualism:reject that to be satisfied they much achieve goals of society’s.But follow rules kf society.Working to survive not achieve
retreatism:given up on trying to achieve society’s goals+also given up maintaining a legitimate job as survival
rebellion:rejects goals of society’s but instead creates their own goals to achieve in life
evaluation:
-merton doesn’t explain why people respond in this way
-fails to acknowledge that people may change there response to strain
subcultural theory-Status frustration
Cohen:
-crime/deviant actions wasn’t motivated by trying to achieve financial statues but achieve status what people desired
-chain of events to cause W/C boys to lack low status:
1.inadequate socialisation from their parents-families provide them with inappropriate norms
2.poor experience of education-poor socialisation from home.Arrive at school unequipped results in low streams and labelling
-leads to status frustration-boys see that m/c boys students have status and respect,they want it as well
-results in alternative status hierarchy subculture -invert the rules in terms of what counts as behaviour which deserves respect
evaluation:
gender blind-what are girls like
not all w/c families raise their children in the wrong way
subcultural theory-illegitimate opportunity structures
-how people respond to blocked opportunities
-illegitimate opportunities structures:allowing people to engage in group activities which are illegal or deviant
1.criminal subculture:operate in business like way,dominate illegal trading,want to achieve financial goals
2.conflict subculture:less formal,engage in violent behaviour
3.retreatist subculture:double failures,not succeeded in achieving anything
inner city characteristics:
1.differential association-people who haven’t had any brushes with the law but come into contact with people that have
2.social disorganisation-inner city areas are often run down places so crime goes unchallenged due to population turnover
3.cultural transmission-experienced criminal recruit+pass on their criminal skills to unexperienced individuals
evaluation:
doesn’t explain why people end up living in different subcultures
overlaps of subcultures
