Crime - FUNCTIONALIST Flashcards
Durkheim
Crime is normal… an integral part of healthy societies
Two reasons why crime and deviance is found in all societies
- Not everyone is equally, effectively socialised
* In complex societies, there is a diversity of lifestyles and values
Anomie
The rules governing behaviour becomes weaker
Boundary maintenance
Crimes produces a reaction from society, uniting its members
Cohen: function of deviance
An indication that an institution is not functioning properly
Erikson: deviance is positive?
If deviance performs positive social functions then society is made to promote society
- police there to sustain levels of crime rather than get rid of it
Criticism of Durkheim
- specific amount of deviance needed is not given
- focuses on how crime affects society as a whole
- crime doesn’t always promote solidarity
Structural factors
Society’s unequal opportunity structure
Cultural factors
Strong emphasis on success, weaker emphasis on legitimate ways to achieve it
Conformity
Individuals accept the culturally approved goals and drive to achieve them legitimately
Innovation
Individuals accept the goal of money success but use illegitimate means to achieve it
Retreatism
Individuals reject both the goals and the legitimate means and become dropouts
Rebellion
Reject the existing society’s goals and means and replace them with new ones - bring about change
Evaluation of Merton
= takes crime statistics at face value
- over represent working class crime
= assumes there is value consensus
= ignores thee role of group deviance such as delinquent subcultures
