Crime and deviance(functionalism)

Question 1

what is anomie ?

Answer 1

society without value consensus-everyone has different values leading to chaos.

Question 2

what is social solidarity?

Answer 2

sense of cohesion felt in society

Question 3

what is the society of saints?

Answer 3

Durkheim imagines a ‘society of saints’ populated by perfect individuals. In such a society there might be no murder or robbery, but there would still be deviance. The general standards of behaviour would be so high that the slightest slip would be regarded as a serious offence.

Question 4

how does crime lead to social cohesion?

Answer 4

durkheim argues that crime brings together upright conscience.expression of public ‘temper’.

Question 5

what does davis suggest about a function of crime?

Answer 5

Deviance as a safety valve.deviance allows people to ‘let off steam’ without commiting crime.for example prostitution provides a safety valve to prevent rape and promiscuity in a society that controls the morality of sexuality.

Question 6

what is Merton’s strain theory?

Answer 6

there are clear structurally defined goals within society and clear means to achieve these goals which regulate the behavior of society’s members.If these goals are emphasized more than the acceptable means the alternative means becomes more accessible :crime.e.g to be rich.

Question 7

what are merton’s modes of adaptation?

Answer 7

the 5 different responses to the goal to success
-Conformity-follow the acceptable means to a goal.
-innovation-a person wants success but is not willing or able to do it via the acceptable pathway so turns to alternative methods (crime)
-ritualism-people who scale down/give up on a goal and accept where they are now.
-retreatism-people who fail to achieve success drop out of society and do not participate in normal life.
-rebellion-reject societies goals and replace them with alternatives.