CRIME AND DEVIANCE - 1) Functionalism --> Durkheim, Davis, Hirschi and Merton

Question 1

What is the timeline in Functionalism that starts with a Consensus being formed to someone being a Deviant?

Answer 1

Society functions better with a CONSENSUS –> A consensus is achieved when people agree (conform - social solidarity) –> This reaffirms and clarifies the consensus –> Social control is used to prevent DEVIANCE (social control and social cohesion) –> Anyone whose behaviour is against this is called a ‘deviant’

Question 2

What is the Formal Social Control in Society?

Answer 2

An Official Sanction –> The RSA: The Police, Criminal Justice, Fines and Prison = The more powerful force within society!

Question 3

What is the Informal Social Control in Society?

Answer 3

Reaction from society / Less Official = The ISA: Being isolated by society, weird looks, being ostracised form your friends and family, and being disowned.

Question 4

What Functionalist Sociologist studies the ‘Positive Effect of Crime’?

Answer 4

Durkheim!

Question 5

What does Durkheim say about crime and Deviant Behaviour?

Answer 5

The further away someone’s behaviour gets away from the norm and value consensus in society, the more deviant this behaviour becomes.

The Consensus in society is maintained and reinforced by society punishing offenders (perhaps to scare others, to deter them away and to demonstrate what happens when norms are broken)

Question 6

How can crime be positive for society / how can it receive a positive reaction from people?

Answer 6

Crime encourages SOCIAL CHANGE and it allows and makes way for society to positively adapt!

Society needs a certain percentage of crime in it, as it clarifies and reasserts the boundaries and helps to initiate change when people overstep these boundaries.

Crime can do good and there is a role of it in society!

Question 7

(DURKHEIM) What does he say that ‘too much’ crime is a sign / evidence of?

Answer 7

A society that has no norms and values - Anomie is created; chaos! There is not enough regulation!

Question 8

(DURKHEIM) What does he say that ‘not enough’ crime is a sign / evidence of?

Answer 8

A dictatorship or a repressive state that has too much regulation!

Question 9

What does Durkheim say about crime in a society?

Answer 9

He says that it is:

• INEVITABLE (Will happen no matter what)
• UNIVERSAL (Happens in all societies)
• RELATIVE (Our attitudes to crime differ from one society to another)
• FUNCTIONAL (Has a role to play in society)

Question 10

What is a Mnemonic to remember what Durkheim says about crime? HINT: IN UR FACE

Answer 10

In (INEVITABLE) UR (UNIVERSAL AND RELATIVE) Face (FUNCTIONAL), Durkheim!

Question 11

What are the 7 evaluations of Durkheim? HINT: Don’t worry if you cannot remember them all; 3-4 will be enough!

Answer 11

• He states that society requires crime, but does not state how much crime!
• Functionalism and Durkheim looks at crime and its functions for society as a whole, but does not look at crime individually (Too macro)
• Not everyone in society is a Functional Rebel
• Crime does not always lead to social solidarity - people do hide away and have fear / riot after crimes, such as the fear after 9/11
• Crime is not planned by individuals to bring about and create positive benefits for society
• People do not commit crimes in order to strength social solidarity; some people do it because of mental health issues, addictions or other problems / factors
• Durkheim’s approach alienates the victims and brushes off what has happened to them, instead of trying to help them and carrying about the impact crime has on them

Question 12

What is Boundary Maintenance?

Answer 12

Boundaries in society which need to be reinforced when people step over them and become deviants and then criminals. In society, we have the police that can reassert these boundaries and tell the rest of society that some actions are wrong; this reinforces the collective conscience in society!

Question 13

What are Functional Rebels?

Answer 13

People who rebel against the boundaries of society, which can help open up the rest of society’s eyes, as society begins to sympathise with their actions for overthrowing the unjust laws. This can lead to social change, where laws in society are reformed and changed!

Question 14

Give 2 examples of Functional Rebels?

Answer 14

Rosa Parks and the Suffragettes!

Question 15

Which sociologist looks at ‘Safety Valve Crimes’?

Answer 15

Kingsley Davis

Question 16

What does Davis say about ‘Safety Valve Crimes’?

Answer 16

He said that deviancy and deviant acts acted as a ‘safety valve’ for society!

Question 17

What was Davis’ example of a ‘Safety Valve Crime’?

Answer 17

Prostitution - He suggested that prostitution has the positive function of releasing men’s sexual frustration and tension, so they don’t go home and commit sexual assault or crimes!

Question 18

Give a summary sentence of Kingsley Davis’ ‘Safety Valve Crimes’?

Answer 18

A little bit of crime and deviancy in society prevents bigger crimes happening in society!

Question 19

What are the evaluation points for Davis’ study of ‘Safety Valve Crimes’? HINT: 1 positive and 2 negatives!

Answer 19

• Says that minor crimes prevent bigger crimes from happening - prevents an even bigger / worse impact on society
• If someone completes a ‘safety valve’ crime and gets a craving for it, this may lead to them completing more ‘intense’ and ‘violent’ crimes that have more of an impact
• This approach alienates the victims as well; brushes off what has happened to them because it is a ‘small crime’!

Question 20

Which sociologist studied Bonds of Attachment / Social Bond Theory?

Answer 20

Travis Hirschi!

Question 21

What was Hirschi’s main question in regards to Bonds of Attachment?

Answer 21

‘Why don’t people commit crime?’

Question 22

(HIRSCHI) What was the answer to his question ‘Why don’t people commit crime?’

Answer 22

People do not commit crime because they are part of society and they feel they have more to lose. People who have a lot to lose are less likely to commit crime, as they feel they are part of society and are well integrated into the community, and they do not want to risk that!

REMEMBER: Some rich people who have families and livelihoods etc do commit crimes, such as fraud - Not everyone fits this model!

Question 23

(HIRSCHI) What are ‘typical delinquents?’

Answer 23

The typical person to commit a crime - he said that typical delinquents were often similar to each other!

Hirschi said that ‘typical delinquents’ were individuals who have less institutions looking after them and that the lack of connection in their lives means that they are not as well integrated into society as everyone else, which increases their likelihood to commit crimes.

Question 24

(HIRSCHI) What are the factors of a ‘typical delinquent?’

Answer 24

They are often: Young, single, unemployed and male!

Question 25

(HIRSCHI) Which individuals did he say were less likely to commit crimes?

Answer 25

Married people who are employed - This is because they are involved and well-integrated in society; they have more to lose!

Question 26

(HIRSCHI) What are the 4 factors that Hirschi identified that make the difference between Conforming Behaviour in society to Criminal Behaviour?

Answer 26

• Attachment (EG: Family)
• Commitment (EG: Career + Future)
• Belief (EG: Morality)
• Involvement (EG: Social clubs + Organisations)

Question 27

What are the evaluating points for Hirschi’s theory of ‘Bonds of Attachment’? HINT: 2 positives and 3 negatives!

Answer 27

• This theory is useful as it helps to explain the trends in society of male, young and working class/unemployed people committing more crimes than other people from other social classes
• Helps the government to try and promote policies that encourage and increase people’s attachment bonds, in order to prevent them from committing crimes
• This theory does not explain why some rich people who are well-integrated into society commit crimes, like fraud –> Do they do it because of greed??
• The motivation to be a deviant is assumed; not personal enough?
• Hirschi does not address the issue of why some members of society have secure bonds and others do not - Does not look at class, gender and ethnicity?

Question 28

What sociologist studies the ‘Strain Theories’ of Crime?

Answer 28

Merton

Question 29

(MERTON) What is his critic of Durkheim’s theory?

Answer 29

He says that Durkheim’s theory does not tackle where crime and deviance crimes from in the first instance / place!

Question 30

(MERTON) What are the 2 features of the ‘Strain Theory’?

Answer 30

GOALS and MEANS

Question 31

(MERTON) Explain what ‘GOALS’ are, in terms of the ‘Strain Theory’?

Answer 31

What do most people AIM for in their lives? EG: Decent housing, work, leisure, comfort etc –> We work hard to achieve these aims / what we want!

Question 32

(MERTON) Explain what ‘MEANS’ are, in terms of the ‘Strain Theory’?

Answer 32

How can our AIMS be ACHIEVED? - These are the RESOURCES that are at our disposal to achieve our goals. EG: You need a good education in order to work and earn a comfortable salary in order to secure a decent home!

Question 33

(MERTON) When is the ‘STRAIN’ felt by people in society + What can / does this lead to?

Answer 33

The ‘STRAIN’ is felt when people do not have the MEANS to SECURE their GOALS.

This lack of ability to achieve what you want causes FRUSTRATION and ALIENATION and can lead to people trying to achieve their goals through DEVIANT MEANS –> This leads people to commit crime and contribute to ANOMIE!

The ‘STRAIN THEORY’ leads to ‘ANOMIE (Normlessness)’

Question 34

(LINKS TO MERTON AND THE STRAIN THEORY) Name some of the barriers in society that can prevent people for achieve their goals? HINT: Name as may as you can; there are 7 here!

Answer 34

• Poor socialisation
• Lack of opportunity
• Lack of skills
• Unemployment
• Lack of money
• Structural Inequality (CAGE - Class, Age, Gender and Ethnicity)
• Lack of cultural, social and economic capital

Question 35

(MERTON) What was Merton’s key case study?

Answer 35

The American Dream!

Question 36

(MERTON) Outline Merton’s study of the ‘American Dream’.

Answer 36

Meritocratic Society - if you work hard, you will achieve your goals!

American Society is Meritocratic - You know you have succeeded by what you are able to consume (consumerism)

There is a cultural goal of money; if individuals lack the legitimate means to obtain this money / goal, this leads to frustration and the pressure to deviate!

Question 37

(MERTON) What is the summary title of Merton’s study / example?

Answer 37

The Strain to Anomie!

Question 38

(MERTON) Explain the ‘Strain to Anomie’ in 5 steps!

Answer 38

The Goal –> Desire to Succeed –> Lack of Opportunity –> Pressure to Adopt Illegitimate Means —> Anomie

Question 39

(MERTON) What were the 5 subcultural responses to ‘feeling the Strain’ that Merton identified?

Answer 39

• Conformity
• Ritualism
• Innovation
• Retreatism
• Rebellion

Question 40

(MERTON) Explain Conformity, in ties to the ‘Strain Theory’.

Answer 40

These are the people who DO WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM!

This includes the majority of people; they conform to society, they work hard, they have the means and they do what is expected of them!

Question 41

(MERTON) Explain Ritualism, in ties to the ‘Strain Theory’.

Answer 41

These people just DO THE JOB because that was SOCIETY TELLS THEM TO DO!

These are the people who do not aspire to achieve any of society’s goals, but they accept the means of achieving them - They believe it is the same thing every day and they go through the motions, but lose respect of the goal.

Question 42

(MERTON) Explain Innovation, in ties to the ‘Strain Theory’.

Answer 42

People who use CRIMINAL MEANS to achieve SOCIETY’S GOALS!

These are people who are seen as criminal and support the goals of society (such as earning money, and having children etc) but may use criminal ways to achieve these goals –> They come up with new ways to get their goals after conforming fails = These people may be referred to as CRIMINALS or DEVIANTS!

Question 43

(MERTON) Explain Retreatism, in ties to the ‘Strain Theory’.

Answer 43

These people REJECT SOCIETY’S GOALS and may be seen as DROPOUTS!

Examples include alcoholics and drug addicts!

They people realise they cannot achieve the goal, so they leave and drop out of society; this subculture is often associated with drugs and alcohol (something else to do) –> May also be monks and nuns (as they are not driven by society’s means)!

Question 44

(MERTON) Explain Rebellion, in ties to the ‘Strain Theory’.

Answer 44

These people create ALTERNATIVE GOALS to those that society creates and may seek a COUNTERCULTURE!

Terrorists or revolutionaries would fit into this category!

These people kick back against the goal; they DO NOT WANT the GOAL!

Question 45

What are the evaluation points for Merton’s ‘Strain Theory’? HINT: 1 positive and 5 negatives!

Answer 45

• This theory emphasises the point that deviancy arises because of the social structure in society!
• This theory assumes that there is a consensus and an agreement regarding the goals and means in society; however, we know that this is not true, especially in contemporary society - People want different things!
• This theory focuses on the individuals responses, but does not bring into question the social patterns and data of who commits crimes! - Does not look at official statistics!
• This theory is too deterministic - Not everyone who feels the strain in society commits a crime!
• Successful / rich people who commit white collar crimes have a weird title - Are they seen as Innovators or Conformists?
• The Strain Theory only applies to Western, capitalist society (Is this a good thing, as no other societies are like this, or a bad thing, as no other societies are spoken about?)