crime and deviance theorists

Question 1

Durkheim- Functionalism

Answer 1

Positive functions of crime- boundary maintenance, adaption and change. crime is inevitable and universal

Question 2

Merton- Functionalism

Answer 2

Strain Theory- deviance is the result of a strain between the goals a culture encourages individuals to achieve and what the structure of society allows them to achieve. E.g. issues with the American Dream. Deviant adaptions- Conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, rebellion.

Question 3

Cloward and Ohlin- Functionalism

Answer 3

Different subcultures- different neighbourhoods provide different illegitimate opportunities for young people to learn criminal skills. three types of subcultures- criminal subcultures, conflict subcultures and retreatist subculture.

Question 4

A. Cohen- Functionalism

Answer 4

Status frustration- can’t achieve middle class life style so commit crime out of their frustration

Question 5

S. Cohen- Interactionism

Answer 5

Folk Devils and Moral panics- reaction to the mods and rockers based on a press reaction. leads to deviancy amplifications.

Question 6

Becker- Interactionism

Answer 6

Labelling theory- powerful label the lower status individuals as a form of social control

Question 7

Lemert- Interactionism

Answer 7

primary deviance- acts not publicly labelled.
secondary deviance- acts which are labelled. leads to a master status and a deviant career.

Question 8

Chambliss- Class and Crime

Answer 8

laws protect private property- so support the bourgeoisie

Question 8

Gordon- Class and Crime

Answer 8

Crime is a rational response to capitalism- it exists in all classes

Question 9

Taylor et al- Class and Crime

Answer 9

To fully understand crime, you need to look at- wider origins of deviant acts, immediate origins of the deviant act, act itself, social reaction

Question 10

Young- Realism and Crime

Answer 10

there is an increase in crime from the 1950’s- particularly working class crime. crime is worsened in a media saturated society

Question 11

Murray- Realism and Crime- Right

Answer 11

argues that the crime rate is increasing because of a growing underclass or ‘new rabble’ that is defined by their deviant behaviour and those who fail to socialise their children properly

Question 12

Clarke- Realism and Crime- Right

Answer 12

argues that the decision to commit crime is a choice based on a rational calculation of the likely consequences

Question 13

Lea and Young - Realism and Crime- Left

Answer 13

Three causes of crime- relative deprivation, subcultures, marginalisation

Question 14

Wilson and Kelling- Realism and Crime-

Answer 14

Broken Windows theory- zero tolerance on all deviance. the ideas of ‘sweat the small stuff’ so serious crime does not happen

Question 15

Heidensohn - Gender and Crime

Answer 15

Observes that gender differences are perhaps the ‘most significant feature of recorded crime’. Most crime appears to be committed by males. there is patriarchal control of women at home, in public and at work. less opportunity to commit crime

Question 16

Pollak- Gender and Crime

Answer 16

Chivalry Thesis- men are socialised to act in a chivalrous way towards women which leads to less women being accused of criminal acts

Question 17

Carlen - Gender and Crime

Answer 17

Double standards exist in the CJS- women are judges against their female role as girls, daughters, wives

Question 18

Parsons- Gender and Crime

Answer 18

Sex role theory- women perform traditional female roles therefore they have less opportunity to commit crime

Question 19

Messerschmidt- Gender and Crime

Answer 19

the social construct of masculinity leads to men committing crime. they use crime as a way to assert authority- more common in white middle class youths, white working class youths and black lower class youths.

Question 19

Adler- Gender and Crime

Answer 19

women are liberated from patriarchy- so crimes are becoming more similar to men

Question 20

Hall et Al- Ethnicity and Crime

Answer 20

Moral panic over black muggers- example of how an ethnic group became a scape goat

Question 21

McPherson report- Ethnicity and Crime

Answer 21

report which looks into the Stephen Lawrence case- identified institutional racism in the CJS.

Question 21

Phillips and Bowling- Ethnicity and Crime

Answer 21

Police over police and under protect ethnic minority groups.

Question 22

S. Cohen- Media and Crime

Answer 22

moral panics- deviancy amplification spiral based on media labelling

Question 23

Beck- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights

Answer 23

we live in a risk society- increasing the types of crime

Question 24

McLaughlin- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights

Answer 24

four types of state crime- political crimes, security and police crime, economic crime, social and cultural crimes

Question 25

Michalowski and Kramer- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights

Answer 25

identify crimes from the Iraq war Abu Ghraib prison (abuse of prisoners) and discussion of terror bombing of civilians is normalised

Question 26

Castells- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights

Answer 26

there is a global criminal economy worth over £1 trillion

Question 27

Hamblin and Schewider- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights

Answer 27

State crime should be defined as a violation of peoples basic human rights

Question 28

Kelman and Hamilton- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights

Answer 28

3 features that produce crime of obedience- authorisation, routinisation, dehumanisation

Question 29

Tombs and Whyte- Control, Punishment and Victimisation

Answer 29

safety crimes are explained away as accident prone workers- business owners don’t take responsibility. there is a hierarchy of victimisation. powerless are most likely to be victims, but less likely to be acknowledged by the state.

Question 30

Foucault- Control, Punishment and Victimisation

Answer 30

society is full of surveillance. people watch themselves as if we are in a panopticon prison. crime prevention and punishment is based on the idea of surveillance

Question 31

Wolfgang- Control, Punishment and Victimisation

Answer 31

in 26% of cases there was victim precipitation- the victim triggered the events. not as straight forward as victims and criminals

Question 32

Christie- Control, Punishment and Victimisation

Answer 32

the idea of the victim is socially constructed. there is an ideal victim favoured by the media

Question 33

Clarke- Control, Punishment and Victimisation

Answer 33

situational crime prevention is a pre-emptive approach that relies on not improving society but reducing opportunity from crime