crime and deviance theorists Flashcards
Durkheim- Functionalism
Positive functions of crime- boundary maintenance, adaption and change. crime is inevitable and universal
Merton- Functionalism
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.
Cloward and Ohlin- Functionalism
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.
A. Cohen- Functionalism
Status frustration- can’t achieve middle class life style so commit crime out of their frustration
S. Cohen- Interactionism
Folk Devils and Moral panics- reaction to the mods and rockers based on a press reaction. leads to deviancy amplifications.
Becker- Interactionism
Labelling theory- powerful label the lower status individuals as a form of social control
Lemert- Interactionism
primary deviance- acts not publicly labelled.
secondary deviance- acts which are labelled. leads to a master status and a deviant career.
Chambliss- Class and Crime
laws protect private property- so support the bourgeoisie
Gordon- Class and Crime
Crime is a rational response to capitalism- it exists in all classes
Taylor et al- Class and Crime
To fully understand crime, you need to look at- wider origins of deviant acts, immediate origins of the deviant act, act itself, social reaction
Young- Realism and Crime
there is an increase in crime from the 1950’s- particularly working class crime. crime is worsened in a media saturated society
Murray- Realism and Crime- Right
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
Clarke- Realism and Crime- Right
argues that the decision to commit crime is a choice based on a rational calculation of the likely consequences
Lea and Young - Realism and Crime- Left
Three causes of crime- relative deprivation, subcultures, marginalisation
Wilson and Kelling- Realism and Crime-
Broken Windows theory- zero tolerance on all deviance. the ideas of ‘sweat the small stuff’ so serious crime does not happen
Heidensohn - Gender and Crime
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
Pollak- Gender and Crime
Chivalry Thesis- men are socialised to act in a chivalrous way towards women which leads to less women being accused of criminal acts
Carlen - Gender and Crime
Double standards exist in the CJS- women are judges against their female role as girls, daughters, wives
Parsons- Gender and Crime
Sex role theory- women perform traditional female roles therefore they have less opportunity to commit crime
Messerschmidt- Gender and Crime
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.
Adler- Gender and Crime
women are liberated from patriarchy- so crimes are becoming more similar to men
Hall et Al- Ethnicity and Crime
Moral panic over black muggers- example of how an ethnic group became a scape goat
McPherson report- Ethnicity and Crime
report which looks into the Stephen Lawrence case- identified institutional racism in the CJS.
Phillips and Bowling- Ethnicity and Crime
Police over police and under protect ethnic minority groups.
S. Cohen- Media and Crime
moral panics- deviancy amplification spiral based on media labelling
Beck- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights
we live in a risk society- increasing the types of crime
McLaughlin- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights
four types of state crime- political crimes, security and police crime, economic crime, social and cultural crimes
Michalowski and Kramer- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights
identify crimes from the Iraq war Abu Ghraib prison (abuse of prisoners) and discussion of terror bombing of civilians is normalised
Castells- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights
there is a global criminal economy worth over £1 trillion
Hamblin and Schewider- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights
State crime should be defined as a violation of peoples basic human rights
Kelman and Hamilton- Globalisation, green crime, state crime and Human rights
3 features that produce crime of obedience- authorisation, routinisation, dehumanisation
Tombs and Whyte- Control, Punishment and Victimisation
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.
Foucault- Control, Punishment and Victimisation
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
Wolfgang- Control, Punishment and Victimisation
in 26% of cases there was victim precipitation- the victim triggered the events. not as straight forward as victims and criminals
Christie- Control, Punishment and Victimisation
the idea of the victim is socially constructed. there is an ideal victim favoured by the media
Clarke- Control, Punishment and Victimisation
situational crime prevention is a pre-emptive approach that relies on not improving society but reducing opportunity from crime
