Criminology 2.3 sociological theories of criminality Flashcards
Durkheim, Merton, Marxist, Howard,leftrealism,rightrealism
What are functionalists?
Functionalists take a positivist approach to studying society.
They are one of the only perspectives to completely accept official statistics. So, when studying crime, they base all their work on what the official statistics tell them.
They assume official statistics are valid, reliable and they ignore the idea of ‘hidden crime’. This is a key criticism.
What is Emile Durkheim views?
Durkheim claimed crime was normal and inevitable and a certain amount of crime is an integral part of all healthy societies.
What are Durkheim 6 reasons why crime is good?
1) reaffirmed boundaries: Criminal law tells us the boundaries of acceptable boundaries, but they need to be made clear to everyone in society and constantly reaffirmed. Every time the police arrest someone, they send a message to society that the behaviour of the person is unacceptable. Public executions reinforce the consequences of behaving unacceptably therefore less people will commit crime.
2) social progress: A function of criminals is to test boundaries. When a crime is committed and a person prosecuted, it draws attention to the crime and society can then express its feelings about the crime. This ensures that the law reflects the views of the population if not, this process can lead to social change and progress. In this way criminals help to shape and change society.
3) social cohesion- Durkheim wrote “ crime brings together upright consciences”. When horrific crimes are committed those that completely go against our shared values- People are drawn together in mutual horror or fear (or both). This serves the purpose of strengthening the bonds between the mending problems in society whilst increasing the sense of “belonging “and “community” for people.
4) warning signals- Cillard (1954) argued that a sudden increase in a particular type of crime or deviance can help draw attention to a bigger social platform. E.g disproportionate exclusion of black males from British schools.
5) safety valve- Davis (1961) believed that some lower-level crimes actually prone bigger crimes from happening.
6) employment- crimes and deviance are probably the biggest employers in any society, this hugely contributing to the societies economic.
Evaluation for this theory?
Strengths : Durkheim was a huge breakthrough in understand crime and deviance. Was the first to argue that crime and deviance were not just the work of a few ‘sick’ individuals and is normal.
Negatives: he does not explain why people commit crime, or why some groups commit crime more than others. He assumes the laws reflect social values but ignores the fact that the laws are made from the most powerful people and may want the law to reflect their own interest. He also doesn’t consider the impact on the victims of the crime.
As Durkheim is a functionalist, a negative of this is they don’t take into account unreported crime and only official statistics.
New theory: what is mertons strain theory?
Merton argues that society encourages us to subscribe to the goals of material success, but society is unable to provide the legitimate means for us all to achieve such successes as not everyone can gain qualifications not everyone can access jobs.
What is Merton definition of strain?
He argued that a person could experience strain when they cannot achieve culturally acceptable goals via socially-acceptable means.
What is mertons 5 reactions to strain?
Conformity- people try and achieve their goals through legitimate means by conforming to societies norms and values. It agrees socially accepted goal to be successful and agrees to socially accepted means to reach the goal (not committing crime).
Innovation- people realise they can’t achieve their goals through legitimate means, so they innovate the means to achieve them (criminality). It agrees socially accepted goals to be successful but doesn’t agree to socially accepted means to reach their goal.
Ritualism- people give up on their goals of success but still continue to go through the motions of life. It doesn’t agree with socially accepted goal to be successful but agrees to socially accepted means to reach the goal (not criminal way).
Retreatism- people give up on their goals, give up on any means to reach them, and retreat away from mainstream society. It doesn’t agree with socially accepted goals to be successful and doesn’t agree to socially accepted means to reach their goals.
Rebellion- people reject societies goals and the means of achieving them so they rebel against society and begin following their own goals. They don’t socially accept goal because they replace it with their own. Similar with socially accepted means to reach the goal they disagree as they reject and replace it with their own.
Evaluation of this the Merton strain theory?
Advantages- Helps us explain why crime rates amongst the working class are so high.
Property related crimes are most common- helps us explain this.
Disadvantages- Youth crime is not always done in the pursuit of economic gain- more done for thrill/status. /Fun such as vandalism.
We don’t all share the same norms and values so may not agree with each element on the strain theory.
Brym and lie (2007) argue that merton over exaggerates the role of social class in strain- this is because some crime is committed by people who are already “well off “
O’grady (2011) also says that not all crimes can be explain using this theory e.g rape.
New theory: ( functionalism done). What are Marxist views?
Marxists argues that laws reflect the interests of the bourgeois. It is the bourgeois who makes the law, so inevitably they make laws to protect their own interests.
When an act is defined as criminal it reflects the success of the ruling classes in criminalising acts that threaten their interests.
Evaluation for Marxist?
Advantages-
It is one of the few sociological approaches to help explain why upper class people commit crime despite not being materially deprived.
Disadvantages- Could be considered ‘reductionist’ because it reduces explanations of crime to the money. (doesn’t consider other reasons why).
Realists criticise Marxists for showing criminals to be victims of capitalism. Right realists’ contrast this by saying that criminals are to blame for their actions and therefore should be treated with harsh punishments.
New theory: what is Howard Becker labelling theory?
Labels are based on stereotypes we hold about certain groups. The labels we give people can define their future actions and behaviour: a self-fulfilling prophecy.
What is Howard Becker process of being labelled?
1) Individual does deviant act
2) Individual is rejected and treated differently by family, friends and employers.
3) Being rejected leads to the individual questioning their own identity.
4) The individual can after their behaviour to conform and therefore lose the label. Or they can carry on and their label can become stronger, and a deviant identity takes control.
5) A deviant career can be communicated if the individual then joins a deviant group.
Evaluation for Howard Becker labelling theory?
Advantages-
Shows how deviance is socially constructed and historically relative.
Challenges structural views that deviants are different from normal people or are controlled by social forces.
Considered a much wider range of individuals, groups and institutions in the process of labelling.
Disadvantages-
Can’t explain the origins of criminal behaviour.
Over romanticises deviance, excuses their behaviour assumes we’re all normal until we get labelled.
Concentrates too much on exotic deviance (big crimes).
New:What is right realism?
Charles Murray is a leading right realist who states that everyone is tempted to commit crime, but it is the amount of social bonds that often prevent us from doing so.
Right realists believe crime rate is high because punishment isn’t severe.
Right realism rejects the Marxist view that factors such as poverty commit crime. Right realists believe in biological factors for example, personality traits such as aggressiveness. They argue that main cause of crime is low intelligence.
New: what is left realism?
Left realism suggests that crime lies in the inequalities created by capitalists’ society. They believe the way we fix crime is by making society a more enjoyable place to be in. (agree with Marxists) left realism 3 factors cause crime: relative deprivation, marginalisation and subcultures.
