Crime Topic 1 - Functionalism and Subcultural Theories Flashcards
What is the functionalist perspective on crime?
Crime serves functions that contribute to social solidarity and the maintenance of social norms.
Functionalists argue that crime is an integral part of healthy societies.
What is the value consensus?
The shared norms and values of society that enable cooperation and harmony.
It binds society together and informs behavior towards achieving shared goals.
What are the two key mechanisms that enable social solidarity according to functionalism?
- Socialisation
- Social Control
What does anomie refer to in Durkheim’s theory?
A state of normlessness that can lead to social breakdown and is seen as a cause of suicide.
Durkheim argued that every society has some level of crime.
What are the two positive functions of crime according to Durkheim?
- Boundary Maintenance
- Adaptation and Change
Explain Boundary Maintenance in the context of crime.
Crime generates societal reactions that unite members in condemnation, reinforcing shared norms and values.
Punishment serves to reaffirm social solidarity rather than simply correcting behavior.
What is the concept of Adaptation and Change in relation to deviance?
Deviance can lead to social change and should not be stifled; it allows for the challenge of existing norms and values.
What does Davis argue about prostitution?
Prostitution acts as a safety valve for men’s frustrations without threatening the nuclear family.
This perspective suggests a functional role for prostitution in society.
What is Status Frustration according to Cohen?
A sense of personal failure and inadequacy experienced by individuals, especially in lower streams of education.
How does Cohen’s theory differ from Merton’s?
Cohen focuses on group-based crime and status frustration, whereas Merton emphasizes individual economic motivations for crime.
What are the five types of adaptation to strain identified by Merton?
- Conformity
- Innovation
- Ritualism
- Retreatism
- Rebellion
What is the main focus of Merton’s Strain Theory?
The pressure individuals feel when they cannot achieve culturally approved goals through legitimate means.
What do Cloward and Ohlin argue about deviant subcultures?
Different neighborhoods provide varying illegitimate opportunities for youths to learn criminal skills.
They identified three types of deviant subcultures.
What are the three types of deviant subcultures identified by Cloward and Ohlin?
- Criminal Subculture
- Conflict Subculture
- Retreatist Subculture
What is Miller’s perspective on working class subcultures?
Crime is an extension of working class values, not a reaction to mainstream goals.
He identified six focal concerns of working class males.
List Miller’s six focal concerns of working class males.
- Trouble
- Toughness
- Smartness
- Excitement
- Fate
- Autonomy
What is the criticism of Merton’s Strain Theory?
It is too deterministic and primarily focuses on working class crime, ignoring other groups and types of crime.
What does Messner and Rosenfeld’s theory highlight about American culture?
The obsession with monetary success fosters an anomic environment where economic goals are prioritized above other values.
What is the ‘winner takes all mentality’ in the context of crime?
A cultural attitude that encourages individuals to pursue success at any cost, increasing the likelihood of criminal behavior.
What do Messner and Rosenfeld argue about individual monetary success?
It pushes people towards crime
They highlight the obsession with economic goals over social values.
What mentality is described as leading individuals towards crime?
Winner takes all mentality
This mentality prioritizes individual success at the expense of others.
In which countries are economic goals valued above social values according to the text?
America and the UK
This prioritization affects educational and social systems.
What is the impact of preparing students for the labor market at the expense of teaching values?
It undermines respect for others
Educational systems focus more on economic readiness than ethical development.
What cultural environment is encouraged by the pursuit of wealth?
Anomic cultural environment
In this environment, economic rewards overshadow other values.
What event is cited as an illustration of Messner and Rosenfeld’s theory?
The worldwide banking crisis
It exemplifies the consequences of prioritizing economic success.
What type of societies are said to have higher crime rates based on the text?
Societies based on free-market capitalism with inadequate welfare
This lack of support for the poor correlates with increased crime.
What does research suggest about societies that protect the poor?
They have less crime
Adequate welfare provision is linked to lower crime rates.
List the sociologists mentioned in the topic.
Messner, Rosenfeld
Their theories focus on crime and economic structures.
