CRIME AND DEVIANCE TOPIC 1: FUNCTIONALIST, STRAIN AND SUBCULTURAL THEORIES

Question 1

according to DURKHEIM, what are the 2 key mechanisms for society to achieve solidarity?

Answer 1

-socialisation: the teachings of norms and values of society

-social control: making sure everyone follows the same norms and values (consensus) to stop ppl going against them= subcultures judging ppl/ shaming ppl

Question 2

what are 2 reasons why crime is found in all societies?

Answer 2

-socialisation isn’t always performed properly

-modern society is more diverse= forms deviant subcultures that go against societal norms & values

Question 3

according to DURKHEIM, why are modern societies more likely to experience crime?

Answer 3

-prone to anomie (a sense of normlessness and moral confusion = anomie weakens the collective conscience = inc. criminal activity

Question 4

according to DURKHEIM, what are the 2 main positives of crime?

Answer 4

-boundary maintenance: punishment of crime reminds ppl what’s acceptable nd wat isn’t= shows boundaries
e.g. through media shaming certain behaviour (deviance)

-adoption&change: change starts w/ deviance= going against the norms in order for society to develop

Question 5

function of crime: DAVIS

Answer 5

-the function of prostitution: it’s a ‘safety valve’ = outlet for men to take out their frustrations on prostitutes instead of their wives = protects the nuclear family

Question 6

function of crime: POLSKY

Answer 6

-the function of pornography: allows men to engage in sexual fantasies that doesn’t risk breaking the nuclear family

Question 7

function of crime: COHEN

Answer 7

-the function to act as a ‘warning’: crime highlights the areas in society that are failing

Question 8

function of crime: ERIKSON

Answer 8

-as a society, crime can be beneficial as we need it to show police forces are to be feared and that they have a purpose

Question 9

what are 2 criticisms of the functionalist theory?

Answer 9

• Durkheim fails to mention how much of crime is ‘just right’
• Durkheim ignores the impact that crime has on individuals (victims involved)

Question 10

according to the strain theory, what causes crime?

Answer 10

-crime is caused by a desire to achieve socially acceptable goals but lacking the means to do so legally

Question 11

what are MERTON’S 5 strains to theory?

Answer 11

-CONFORMITY: accept societies goals and legal ways e.g. getting a job and working hard
-INNOVATION: accept wanting to be materially successful but don’t accept the legal ways= turn to crime to be successful
-RITUALISM: don’t chase success (given up on goals) but still accept legal ways of living e.g. working the same job
-RETREATISM: given up on being successful and given up on following societal rules e.g. drug addicts
REBELLION: reject society’s goals and means BUT then replace them with their own= deys the status quo w/ new definitions of success e.g. hippies

Question 12

what are 3 criticisms of MERTON’S theory?

Answer 12

-it doesn’t explain non-utilitarian crimes e.g. beating smn up (gaining nothing from doing it)
-it assumes material success is a common goal that’s shared
-fails to recognise most w/c don’t commit crimes

Question 13

what are 2 elements of MERTON”S THEORY?

Answer 13

-society sets material goals and encourages everyone to pursue them
-some people find their opportunities for achieving these goals are blocked

Question 14

what is the ‘american dream’ ?

Answer 14

-anyone can be successful through hard work
-success is material, creates the conditions of crime
-people will try to become successful ‘by any means necessary’ =don’t care about the consequences behind actions
-‘dog-cat-dog’ world = survival of the fittest mentality for success

Question 15

what is a subcuture and why do they form within crime?

Answer 15

-having different norms and values from society
-for validation, feeling a sense of community and gain symbolic capital (status)
- e.g. gangs offer money =shows alternative career paths

Question 16

according to COHEN, why is crime a lower-class phenomenon?

Answer 16

-those from deprived backgrounds are denied access to achieve society’s goals

Question 17

what is status frustration?

Answer 17

-argues that mainstream society has pushed them to the bottom of the societal hierarchy= create their own status themselves

Question 18

what are 2 criticisms COHEN makes of MERTON?

Answer 18

-doesn’t explain non-utilitarian crimes e.g. vandalism&violence
-collective crime= why young w/c people are more prone to crime than others

Question 19

according to COHEN, why do w/c boys face anomie?

Answer 19

(anomie- breakdown of norms and values)

-not valued by the education system, made for m/c in reality
-not socialised at home= parenting styles not stable causing cultural deprivation

Question 20

how does the subculture offer an alternative status hierarchy?

Answer 20

-through ways that aren’t socially accepted= popularity with members to cause crime with violence= creates fear

Question 21

evaluation of COHEN

Answer 21

-androcentric= focuses too much on men and not on women
-too deterministic and reductionist= assumes we had m/c goals to begin with

Question 22

what are deviant subcultures?

Answer 22

-different subcultures as a result of different responses to lack of legitimate opportunities. Some even lack opportunity in world of deviance due to neighbourhood.

Question 23

according to CLOWARD AND OHLIN, what are the 3 types of deviant subculture?

Answer 23

-Criminal= established criminal gangs & access to hierarchy of professional criminals in a longstanding network
-Conflict= loosely organised gangs as an outlet for frustration (turf wars and violence)
-Retreatist= most disorganised group w/ no access, double failures, failed to succeed in legal structures (drug use)

Question 24

at the chicago school= cultural transmission theory

Answer 24

Cultural transmission theory- deviance learnt through interaction= easy ability to pass on crime

Question 25

at the chicago school= social disorganisation theory

Answer 25

Social disorganisation theory- Breakdown of institutions, unemployment= learning criminal skills from people around them in certain areas

Question 26

at the chicago school= differential association theory

Answer 26

Differential association theory= high population turnover with changes made constantly =no community looking out for eachother

Question 27

EV. of CLOWARD AND OHLIN

Answer 27

-they over-focus on w/c crime = ignores the m/c crimes

-the system set up the w/c to commit crime= ignores that the law tends to criminalise the w/c more often so m/c crimes are underrepresented

-assume crime is a reaction to failure in order to achieve material wealth but not everyone is motivated by it