Durkheim’s Functionalist Theory

Question 1

What is anomie?

Answer 1

A sense of normlessness- confusion and uncertainty over social norms, found in periods of rapid social change

Question 2

What is Boundary Maintenance?

Answer 2

A positive function of crime. It reinforces social solidarity and deters people from committing the same crimes.

Question 3

What is Adaption and Change?

Answer 3

A positive function to crime. Deviance encourages social change and turns deviant behaviour into non deviant behaviour in the future.

Question 4

What is a safety valve?

Answer 4

A positive function to crime. It allows stress release in a safe way I.e, prostitution and porn over an affair

Question 5

What is a Warning Device?

Answer 5

A positive function to crime. Identifies emerging social problems so that they can be dealt with before they become a serious threat.

Question 6

What are the positive functions of crime?

Answer 6

Boundary Maintenance
Adaptation and Change
Safety Valve
Warning Device

Question 7

What are the strengths of Durkheim’s Theory

Answer 7

• It recognises different types of crime, and they committed for different forms of different reasons.
• There’s a need for adaption and change otherwise society becomes stagnant (won’t develop).
• People understand what consequences are from boundary maintenance- maintaining social order.
• Too high levels of crime threatens social order. Too low levels of crime means society won’t change.

Question 8

What are the weaknesses of Durkheim’s theory?

Answer 8

• He doesn’t specify the amount of deviance society requires to function successfully.
• Just because crime has functions, does not mean that crime exists in order to carry out these functions.
• Ignores how crime impacts different groups or individuals within society.
• Crime des not always promote solidarity.
• Not all crimes are punished equally- crime can benefit the powerful not the powerless.