Crime And Deviance Flashcards
Positive aspects of crime: What did Durkheim say about social cohesion?
According to Durkheim (1895), crime or at least a certain, limited amount of crime - was necessary for society. The collective conscience provides a framework of society with boundaries, and crime helped clarify these boundaries.
Negative aspects of crime: When does anomie occur?
Anomie occurs when there are periods of great social change or stress. During a revolution or rapid economic and social change, old norms and values may be challenged with new ones
What is strain theory? (Robert Merton)
A strain between the socially accepted goals of society and the socially approved means of obtaining them. The strain leads to crime and deviance.
What five forms of behaviour did Merton identify which are a response to the strain between goals and means?
- Conformity
- Innovation
- Ritualism
- Retreatism
- Rebellion
Mertons writing had a large impact on Cloward and Ohlin (1960). Why did they partially disagree with him?
They agreed with Merton that lack of opportunity in the legitimate opportunity structure was a cause of crime. However, they argued that Merton had failed to appreciate that there was a parallel opportunity structure to the legal one called the illegitimate opportunity structure.
According to Cloward and Ohlin, the illegal opportunity structure had what three possible adaptations of subcultures?
- Criminal - There is a thriving local criminal subculture, with successful role models. Young offenders could ‘work their way up the ladder’ in the criminal hierarchy.
- Conflict - There is no local criminal subculture to provide career opportunities but territorial gangs exist which recruit young people into their service.
- Retreatist - Occurs when individuals have no opportunity or ability to engage in either of the other two subcultures. Retreat to drugs/alcohol
What did Albert Cohen believe did not fit with Mertons theory?
Not all crime is economically motivated.
What is non-utilitarian crime?
Crime committed without any obvious benefit to the offender.
Cohen noted that a lot of delinquent behaviour was a group activity, why does this not fit with Mertons theory?
Mertons theory covered why some individuals may be motivated to commit crime, but not why groups or gangs may commit crime.
What did Matza argue?
Matza argued that there were no distinctive subcultural values, but that all groups in society shared a set of subterranean values which exist on the fringes of society, they value spontaneity, rebellion and self expression which sometimes leads to people straying from social norms.
What is labelling theory?
Most people commit criminal and deviant acts, but only some are caught and stigmatised for it.
When does labelling occur?
Labelling occurs when particular characteristics are ascribed to individuals on the basis of descriptions, names or labels. These labels are simplified stereotypes.
What points does Howard Becker argue about labelling?
- Just because someone breaks a rule, it does not necessarily follow that others will define it as deviant.
- Someone must enforce/draw attention to the rules, these people usually have a vested interest in the issue.
- If the person is successfully labelled, then consequences follow.
What ethnic group is most likely to be targeted by stop and search procedures?
Young black males.
What is the difference between primary and secondary deviance?
Primary deviance is rule breaking, which is of little importance in itself, while secondary deviance is the consequence of the responses of others, which is significant.
