Crime And Deviance - Functionalism, Crime and Deviance

Question 1

What are some main points on functionalist theory?

Answer 1

Society is based on value consensus
Social institutions, agents of socialisation & control create social solidarity & tells people how to behave

Question 2

What are 5 key words for functionalist theory?

Answer 2

Meritocracy
Social solidarity
Value consensus
Organic analogy
Collective consciousness

Question 3

What is the nature of society according to functionalism?

Answer 3

Society is based on value consensus
Society is fair & meritocratic -> everyone has the chance to be socially mobile (everyone wants high life chances)

Question 4

What does Durkheim say about the nature of society & how this relates to crime?

Answer 4

He highlights the fact that in a class-based society, some people achieve more than others which is useful so all of societies roles get filled up (role allocation)

Therefore, crime will always occur because meritocracy creates inequality & differences between individuals

Question 5

Why does crime occur in the first place, according to functionalists?

Answer 5

When people experience barriers to their life chances due to inequality they turn to anomie. To gain the things that they cant in the socially acceptable way, they turn to crime & deviance. They both break down social solidarity & weaken value consensus which is the atrophy of society’s norms & values.

Question 6

Why does crime occur in the first place, according to functionalists?

Answer 6

When people experience barriers to their life chances due to inequality they turn to anomie. To gain the things that they cant in the socially acceptable way, they turn to crime & deviance. They both break down social solidarity & weaken value consensus which is the atrophy of society’s norms & values which is dysfunctional if it occurs on a large scale

Question 7

What is anomie & atrophy?

Answer 7

Anomie -> normlessness
Atrophy -> erosion

Question 8

SOCIOLOGIST: What approach does Durkheim take to crime?

Answer 8

The normative approach

Question 9

SOCIOLOGIST: What does Durkheim say about crime?

Answer 9

It is functional-inevitable-normal (FIN)

Question 10

In what ways is crime functional for society?

Answer 10

Reinforces value consensus & social solidarity
Allows adaptation & change in society
Acts as a safety valve
Acts as a warning light
Creates jobs

Question 11

How does crime reinforce value consensus & social solidarity?

Answer 11

People’s behaviour is governed by positive & negative sanctions & when people commit crimes, they’re punished. This reminds people of what is right & wrong and how people should behave in society

Question 12

SOCIOLOGIST: How can crime create adaptation & change, according to Durkheim?

Answer 12

He argues all change starts with deviant acts, & for change to occur, people with new ideas have to challenge existing norms & values which appears as deviance at first. If this is suppressed, society is unable to make necessary & adaptive changes and will eventually stagnate.

Question 13

SOCIOLOGIST: What does Kingsley Davis say about crime as a safety valve?

Answer 13

Argues that prostitution acts as a safety valve for men to release their sexual frustrations without harming the monogamous nuclear family

Question 14

What is a problem with Kingsley Davies’ argument?

Answer 14

Prostitution in fact does harm the nuclear family, as well as, the view portrays men in a stereotypical light

Question 15

SOCIOLOGIST: What does Ned Polsky say about crime as a safety valve?

Answer 15

Pornography safely channels a variety of sexual desires away from acts that harm the family e.g. adultery

Question 16

SOCIOLOGIST: What does Cohen say about crime as a warning light?

Answer 16

Deviance indicates an institution is failing e.g. high truancy rates indicate problems with the education system

Question 17

SOCIOLOGIST: Similarly, what does Clinard say about crime as a warning light?

Answer 17

When crime occurs, it sends a message that social order is breaking down which prompts governments/councils to do something about it

Question 18

How does crime create jobs?

Answer 18

Crime creates employment in the criminal justice system e.g. lawyers/judges/police officers which are beneficial to society

Question 19

How is crime seen as inevitable by functionalists?

Answer 19

Crime is seen as destabilising, but it is inevitable. Every known society has some level of crime & deviance, therefore it is a normal part of society

Question 20

What are the two reasons for crime being inevitable in all societies, according to functionalists?

Answer 20

Not everyone in society is equally committed to value consensus & some individuals are prone to deviate as we are all exposed to different influences & circumstances

In complex modern societies, there’s diversity of lifestyle & values -> what members of a subculture deem as normal, the mainstream sees as deviant

Question 21

SOCIOLOGIST: How is crime inevitable according to Durkheim?

Answer 21

In modern societies, there is a tendency towards anomie as the rules governing behaviour become weaker & less clear as they have a complex specialised division of labour which leads people becoming increasingly different from each other leading to the collective consciousness weakening -> results in higher levels of crime

Question 22

SOCIOLOGIST: How is crime seen as normal, according to functionalists & Durkheim?

Answer 22

There is no society where there’s no crime & abnormal crime levels happen when there is social upheaval when anomie develops due to individualism. Therefore, individualism can be seen as a source of crime and/or deviance, so Durkheim highlights that crime & deviance happens when dysfunction is too high or low

Question 23

SOCIOLOGIST: According to Durkheim, how does crime & deviance occur when dysfunction is low?

Answer 23

Low rates lead to repression which stifles individualism & stagnation, preventing societal change

Question 24

SOCIOLOGIST: According to Durkheim, how does crime & deviance occur when dysfunction is high?

Answer 24

High rates lead to social disorganisation, chaos & suggest something has gone wrong in society

Question 25

EVALUATION: What are some strengths of functionalist ideas on crime & deviance?

Answer 25

It demonstrates the useful purposes of crime (e.g. acts as a warning light)
Shows the ways in which crime is integral to society
Explains the reasons for unhealthy levels of crime -> can be altered by social engineering (introducing new laws etc.)
It provides interesting analysis that directs attention to how deviance can have a latent function for society
Avoids biological/psychological theories -> refer to ‘sick individuals’

Question 26

EVALUATION: What are some criticisms of functionalist ideas on crime & deviance?

Answer 26

Durkheim -> claims society needs a certain level of crime but offers no way to know how much is the right amount & explains crime in terms of its function, but it doesnt mean necessarily mean this is why exists in the first place
Crime isnt functional for all (e.g. a murderer being punished is functional for society but not the victim) & fails to ask who crime is functional for
Doesn’t explain individual motivations & why only some commit crime
Assumes harmony & that the law reflects the majority’s interests -> ignores issues of power
Overemphasises idea of consensus in society
May result of pessimistic approach regarding the control of crime (stricter policing, more laws etc.)
Crime doesnt always promote social solidarity -> may lead to more becoming isolated (women staying inside, fearing attack)