Crime - functionalism Flashcards
What is society based on according to functionalists?
Value consensus
How do functionalists argue social solidarity is achieved?
1) Socialisation - instils shared culture/norms and values
2) Social control - mechanisms includes rewards and punishments
What are two reasons crime is found in all societies?
1) not everyone is equally socialised
2) diversity can lead to subcultures with the own norms and values
What is anomie?
a sense of normlessness - the rules governing behaviour become weaker and less clear-cut
What does DURKHEIM argue the positive functions of crime are? and what do they mean?
1) Boundary maintenance - crime produces a reaction form society, uniting its members against the wrongdoer and reinforcing their commitment to shared norms e.g. the purpose of punishment (deterrent)
2) Adaption & change - all change starts with an act of deviance, there must be some scope for individuals to challenge existing norms which will initially appear deviant
What does DURKHEIM suggest about societies with too little crime or too much crime?
Too little - society is repressing + controlling its members, stifling individual freedom
Too much - threatens to tear bonds of society apart
What does Kingsley Davis (1937) argue a function of crime is?
Prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release of mens sexual frustration without threatening the nuclear family
What does Kai Ericson say?
If deviance performs positive functions, perhaps it means society is organised to promote deviance. social control may actually sustain a level of crime rather than rid society of it.
What are some criticisms of Durkheim’s functionalist theory?
- looks at society as a whole without considering how it might affect specific individuals or groups (‘functional for whom?)
- crime does not always promote social solidarity - can often lead to people feeling more isolated or scared
What is MERTONs strain theory?
People engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals through legitimate means
What two elements does Mertons explanation combine?
Structural factors (unequal opportunity structure) and cultural factors (strong emphasis on success goals/weaker emphasis on legitimate means to achieve them
How does Merton use the idea of The American Dream to explain strain theory?
The American Dream claims success is based on hard work (meritocratic system), but disadvantaged groups often lack fair opportunities. This creates strain between the culture of wanting success and not having the legitimate means to achieve it, leading some to deviate from social norms.
What are Mertons 5 deviant adaptions to strain?
Conformity - accept culturally approved goals + strive to achieve them legitimately
Innovation - accept goal of money and success but use ‘new’ illegitimate means to achieve it
Ritualism - individuals give up trying to achieve goals but have internalised legitimate means and thus follow rules for own sake
Retreatism - reject goals and the legitimate means (become dropouts e.g. tramps, psychotics outcasts etc)
Rebellion - reject society’s goals and means + replace with new ones that ought to bring revolutionary change
How can Merton be criticised?
- takes official statistics at face value - over represent WC, so Merton sees crime as mainly WC
- too deterministic
- marxists - ignores power of ruling class
- assumes there is value consensus
-only accounts for utilitarian crime
What are subcultural strain theories?
Sees deviance as the product of a delinquent subculture with different values from those of mainstream society - provide an alternative opportunity structure
What does Cohen suggest as the reason for crime?
Status frustration
What is Status frustration?
Results form the inability of the WC to achieve mainstream goals by legitimate means
How does Cohen criticise Merton?
1) Merton sees deviance as an individual response - ignoring deviance committed in groups
2) Merton focuses on utilitarian crime committed for material gain - largely ignores crimes of assault or vandalism
What group does Cohen focus on?
Working-class boys who are unable to achieve status by legitimate means (education) so suffer status frustration and turn to others in the same situations (forming of subculture)
What does an alternative status hierarchy provide the boys?
Able to create their own (illegitimate) opportunity structure in which they can achieve status from their peers through their delinquent actions (this helps explain non-utilitarian crime)
What is an issue with Merton and Cohens views?
They assume that WC boys start off sharing the same values as MC - ignore possibility they never had these goals and thus never saw themselves as failures
What three types of subcultures do CLOWARD & OHLIN identify?
After drawing ideas of the Chicago school
1) criminal subcultures - provides youths with an apprenticeship for a career in utilitarian crime – arise in neighbourhoods with a stable criminal culture
2) conflict subcultures - arise in areas of high population - high levels of disorganisation - unstable criminal network - work available in loosely organised gangs - violence provides a release of frustration
3) retreats subcultures - ‘double failures’ - fail to achieve legitimately and illegitimately - many turn to illegal drug use
How can CLOWARD & OHLIN be evaluated?
- over predicts amount of WC crime
- Miller - the lower class has its own independent subculture - does not value success in the first place, thus people do not experience frustration
- Matza - most delinquents are not committed to their subculture but drift in and out
What do recent strain theories suggest?
Young people may pursue a variety of goals other than money success e.g. popularity, autonomy etc - can struggle to do through legitimate means
