crime & deviance

Question 1

Anomie

Answer 1

Durkheim; upheaval in social values often associated with rapid social change and lack of order

Question 2

Strain Theory

Answer 2

Merton; pressure to achieve socially accepted goals while not having means causes strain, causing people to turn to crime & deviance

Question 3

5 reactions to Strain(Strain Theory)

Answer 3

conformity - (accept means and goals), innovation(reject means not goals), ritualism(smaller goals), retreatism(reject goals and means, escape), rebellion(reject goals and means, replace)

Question 4

Status Frustration Theory

Answer 4

Cohen; working class youth unable to achieve success and status in mainstream society causing frustration, form delinquent subcultures to achieve status differently

Question 5

Labelling Theory

Answer 5

Becker; negative label placed upon individual makes them more likely to act with accordance to said label, committing more crimes/deviant acts in the future

Question 6

Master Status

Answer 6

Becker’s labelling theory; primary identifying characteristic of an individual, which overrides all other characteristics

Question 7

How Labelling works according to Labelling Theory

Answer 7

Negative label - Self Concept - Label reinforced(deviance amplification) - Master Status - Deviant career

Question 8

Deviance amplification

Answer 8

Societal reaction to deviance may increase level of deviance/crime in society/individual

Question 9

Drift

Answer 9

Matza; humans drift between conformity and deviance throughout life. e.g youth drifts into deviance in search of excitement and due to lack of responsibilities & foresight about consequences, drifting out of it as they take on adult responsibilities

Question 10

Heidensohn

Answer 10

Control theory; women are controlled by patriarchal society, giving them less opportunity to commit crime. They are also socialised into conformity more so than men, e.g assertiveness and aggression aren’t encouraged traditionally in women, but nurture and agreeability are

Question 11

3 ways in how women are controlled according to Heidensohn

Answer 11

Women are controlled at home(domestic work), workplace(men likely in positions of power; glass ceiling) and in public(violence e.g SA) therefore less opportunities for crime.

Question 12

Glass ceiling

Answer 12

Heidensohn; invisible social barrier preventing women from being promoted to top jobs in management.

Question 13

Carlen

Answer 13

expands on control theory; class deal and gender deal - if those deals are broken down/unsatisfying (e.g abuse at home, glass ceiling) women are more likely to commit crime as a rational choice.

Question 14

Class deal and gender deal

Answer 14

Carlen; class deal promises ability to achieve consumerism goods in exchange for work, gender deal promises protection and support from men in exchange for domestic labour and love

Question 15

Relevant functionalists

Answer 15

Durkheim (anomie theory), Merton(Strain theory), Cohen(Status Frustration Theory)

Question 16

Relevant Interactionists

Answer 16

Becker (labelling theory), Matza (drift)

Question 17

Relevant feminists

Answer 17

Heidensohn (control theory), Carlen (class & gender deal)

Question 18

Functionalists view

Answer 18

Criminal and deviant behaviour is a necessary part of society; defines and reinforces social norms and values. Maintains social order and stability by providing boundaries between right and wrong. Argue that society needs a system of punishment to maintain social order and stability (Merton, Durkheim)

Question 19

Marxists view on crime & deviance

Answer 19

Crime and deviance are a product of capitalist societies, and social inequality is the driving force behind crime. Criminal justice system serves to maintain power and wealth of the bourgeoise, while keeping proletariat oppressed and marginalised. Capitalism also promotes criminogenic values such as greed.

Question 20

Feminists view on crime & deviance

Answer 20

Crime and deviance are not only shaped by societal reactions, but also power dynamics. Crime and deviance is a result of how those in power exploit and control marginalised groups, particularly women. Deviant and criminal behaviour in women is less excused than in men due to socialisation and control of women, leading to harsher punishments for them. (Heidensohn, Carlen)

Question 21

Interactionist view on crime & deviance

Answer 21

Crime and deviance are socially constructed; they are a product of societal reactions to them. Same behaviour, depending on context, may be seen as deviant & criminal or not. Depending on how an individual is socialised and what norms and values are possessed by those around them, they will be more or less likely to engage in crime. Labelling individuals as deviant or criminal can have significant consequences on their self-concept, leading to deviance amplification and a self-fulfilling prophecy, where such label becomes their master status. (Becker)

Question 22

Social control

Answer 22

How society regulates and imposes control on those within it.

Question 23

Formal methods of social control

Answer 23

Laws, regulations, institutions(courts, police, prison). Based on the principles of codified rules.

Question 24

Informal methods of social control

Answer 24

Based on the principles of uncodified rules. Social customs, traditions and institutions(family, community, social networks & peer groups) e.g expectation for certain dress code, expectation to be polite or not talk on a bus. Some formal sanctions for unwanted behaviour can cause informal sanctions; for example, social exclusion after going to prison.

Question 25

Feminists perspective on social control

Answer 25

Feminists believed social control works to maintain traditional roles and power imbalances, justifying oppression of marginalised groups and women; they explore how social control operates at intersection of gender, race, class and other social factors.

Question 26

Functionalists view on social control

Answer 26

Functionalists believe social control promotes conformity which is necessary for the function of society.

Question 27

Marxists view on social control

Answer 27

Marxists believe social control is used to justify the exploitation of the proletariat.

Question 28

Interactionists view on social control

Answer 28

Social control isn’t imposed by only those in power, but by those equal to each other; it is a mutual process of negotiation to establish norms and expectations that work for society. Meanings attached to certain behaviours and actions can influence how people act.

Question 29

Social class as cause of crime and deviance

Answer 29

Theories supporting: status frustration, strain theory, interactionalists perspective(people born in low social class where crime rates are high are more likely to accept crime and deviance as the norm as it is surrounding them), Marxism, poor socialisation (not adequately socialised in mainstream’s societies norms and values)

Theories against; Institutional racism and discrimination(police targeting), higher rates of recorded crimes from lower class in national statistics, lower rates of recorded white collar crimes although they may be more influential, labelling theory; harsher punishments & deviance amplification for those labelled as deviant/criminal

Question 30

Gender as a cause of crime and deviance

Answer 30

Theories supporting; Heidensohn’s control theory and Carlen’s gender & class deal, women are oppressed and controlled by society; deviant or criminal behaviour by women seen as more unacceptable than men. Men praised for more aggressive and dominant traits while women discouraged. Institutional patriarchy; men dominating all forces including crime.

Theories against; women crime rate risen in recent times. National statistics underreporting crimes by/against women; chivalry theory; strain theory - women unable to achieve by non-deviant means therefore more likely to turn to crime and deviance.

Question 31

Ethnicity as a cause of crime and deviance

Answer 31

Theories supporting; higher rates of poverty in certain ethnicities within the UK (e.g refugees), labelling and strain theory (more likely to be labelled as deviant/criminal due to prejudice, causing sanctions that limit socially accepted opportunities such as getting a job, potentially amplifying their deviance)

Theories against; institutional racism and police targeting, more recorded and reported crimes in national statistics of minorities, including wrongly accused, if no deviant behaviour was present from the start even if labelled as deviant/criminal it may not lead to deviance amplification.

Question 32

Age as a cause of crime and deviance

Answer 32

Theories supporting; status frustration (youth more likely to form delinquent subcultures), Matza’s drift theory(youth seek excitement, are unexperienced and have less responsibility, so more likely to explore crime & deviance), labelling theory (youth labelled as trouble-makers by others, have less of a stable sense of identity thus likely to internalise such label)

Theories against; police targeting making statistics supporting higher crime rates in youth less accurate, other causes more influential