crime and deviance topic one - functionalist and sub cultural theories

Question 1

what do functionalists see crime as

Answer 1

inevitable and universal

Question 2

why does Durkheim think crime and deviance are found in all societies

Answer 2

• not everyone is adequately socialised intro the shared norms and values so they are likely to deviate
  -“crime is normal…an integral part of all healthy societies”

Question 3

in Durkheim’s view what weakens the collective conscience and why

Answer 3

anomie- since modern societies have a complex division of labour, individuals become increasingly different

Question 4

define anomie

Answer 4

normlessness - a breakdown in social norms, values, and expectations, leading to a state of confusion and chaos

Question 5

the 4 positive functions of crime

Answer 5

• boundary maintenance
• adaptation and change
• warning device
• safety valve

Question 6

describe boundary maintenance

Answer 6

• members of society are in a value consensus
• when someone deviates, the reaction from society unites its members
• this reinforces their commitment to their shared values

Question 7

describe adaptation and change

Answer 7

• Durkheim
• if every individual is tied to social norms there will be no incentive to think of new values or ways of living
• society will stagnate
• therefore the scope to deviate and challenge existing norms in necessary to make adaptive change

Question 8

describe warning device

Answer 8

• Cohen
• provides an alert that an institution in society is not functioning properly

Question 9

describe safety valve

Answer 9

• Davis - prostitution aids with the release of men’s sexual frustrations without threatening the monogamous nuclear family

Question 10

how has Erikson developed Durkheim’s ideas

Answer 10

• society is organised to promote deviance
• the real role of agencies of social control is to sustain a healthy level of crime

Question 11

how can the functionalist theory be criticised for being ignorant

Answer 11

• though crime strengthens solidarity, it is not with the intention of doing so
• ignores how crime affects different individuals, too deterministic of an approach

Question 12

what is Merton’s strain theory

Answer 12

people engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals legitimately

Question 18

5 types of adaptation to the strain

Answer 18

1. conformity
2. innovation
3. ritualism
4. retreatism
5. rebellion

Question 18

what two factors does Merton combine to explain crime and deviance

Answer 18

• structural factors such as society’s unequal opportunities
• cultural factors such as the strong emphasis on success
• therefore deviance is the strain between the goal of achieving success and what the institutional structure allows them to achieve legitimately

Question 18

describe the American Dream

Answer 18

• Americans expected to achieve success through legitimate means since society is meritocratic
• in reality, this is not the case and disadvantaged groups are denied these opportunities
• this causes a strain —> frustration —-> pressure to resort to illegitimate means to succeed

Question 18

conformity

Answer 18

accept the culturally approved goals and strive to achieve this legitimately, this is most often the middle class

Question 18

innovation

Answer 18

accept the goal of material success but create illegitimate ways to achieve this such as theft

Question 19

ritualism

Answer 19

have given up on the goals, but still follow the rules as they have internalised the need to live legitimately, they are typically middle class office workers who work routine jobs

Question 20

retreatism

Answer 20

reject goals and legitimate means and become dropouts

Question 21

rebellion

Answer 21

reject goals and replace them with new ones in a desire to cause a revolution

Question 22

evaluate Merton’s strain theory

Answer 22

• assumes there is value consensus on the goal of material success
• fails to acknowledge non-utilitarian crime
• ignores the role of group deviance

Question 23

how does Cohen criticise Merton

Answer 23

• ignores that much of deviance is committed in groups
• ignores non-utilitarian crime

Question 23

does Cohen agree with Merton

Answer 23

• yes
• agrees that crime is a working class phenomenon

Question 24

status frustration with working class boys

Answer 24

• working class boys lack the cultural and economic capital to succeed in school
• they are given a low status by society, causing them to suffer from status frustration

Question 25

what do they do as a result of facing status frustration

Answer 25

• reject mainstream societal values
• join subcultures

Question 26

the function of subcultures

Answer 26

alternative status hierarchy

Question 27

alternative status hierarchy

Answer 27

-subcultures provide working class boys illegitimate opportunities to win status from their peers

Question 28

what do Cloward and Ohlin argue

Answer 28

• different subcultures respond differently to the strain

Question 29

criminal subcultures

Answer 29

• provides youth with a criminal apprenticeship where they can associate themselves with adult criminals

Question 30

conflict subcultures

Answer 30

• only occurs in areas with high population turnover so it is not as organised
• provides individuals with a release of frustration as well as a source of status by winning turf

Question 31

retreatist subcultures

Answer 31

• those who fail in legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures and in turn turn to substance use

Question 32

criticise Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 32

• South identifies activities which involve a mixture of subcultures e.g. drug trade is a mixture of disorganised crime committed in conflict subcultures and professional crime committed by criminal subcultures

Question 33

what do recent strain theories argue

Answer 33

capitalist economies generate greater strain
- Messner and Rosenfeld in societies based on free-market capitalism high crime rates are inevitable