Functionalism

Question 1

Functionalist View

Answer 1

Crime is func & necessary - would still be crime & deviance in Soc of saints

Question 2

Boundary Maintenance

Durkheim

Answer 2

Reinforces VC via policing margins - formal & informal sanctions = reward / punish dev - shared disapproval of behav strengthens soc solidarity
Crime maintains boundaries - what is acceptable made known by arrest of others

Question 3

Social Change

Durkheim

Answer 3

Leads to social change = organic process started where Soc responds positively to dev behav - becomes normal eg changes to law on homo in 20th C

Question 4

Safety Valve

Davis

Answer 4

Safety valve - Davies said dev acts as SV eg prostitution as a release for male sexual tension

Question 5

Warning Signs

Clinard / Cohen

Answer 5

an inc in certain type of crim / dev can = indicator of something in soc X function properly & change = needed

Question 6

Durkheim A03

Answer 6

Doesn’t quantify how much enough crime is
Macro approach ignores indu impact doesn’t say why some m likely to commit crime
Doesn’t always promote solidarity - can lead to isolation
Assumes ppl follow the masses
Ignores concept of power - who makes laws - Marxism

Question 7

Realist Criticism of Durkheim

Answer 7

Criticise idea that crime = normal & func
Crime = v real problem for victims & that the socio of crime should inform policy makers how to prevent crime

Question 8

Merton’s Strain Theory

Answer 8

Everyone = socialised to ach American Dream - consensus = success & material wealth should = goals no equal access to goals= strain between Soc encour goals & Soc acceptable means of achieving them
Ppl socialised to believing that to achieve had to work hard = meritocracy - ppl made adaptations

Question 9

Conformity

Adaptations

Answer 9

Mems of Soc conform success & goals & normative means of reaching them - strive via accepted channels

Question 10

Innovation

Adaptations

Answer 10

Reject normative means of achievement turn to dev means in particular crime

Question 11

Ritualism

Adaptations

Answer 11

= dev - largely abandon commonly held success goals

Question 12

Retreatism

Adaptations

Answer 12

Applies to psychotics, autists, pariahs, outcasts, vagrants, vagabonds, tramps, drunks & drug addicts - have strongly internalised both cul goals & institutionalised means yet = unable to achieve success so give up

Question 13

Rebellion

Adaptations

Answer 13

Rejection of success goals & institutionalised means = replaced by dif goals & means eg Marx

Question 14

Merton A03

Answer 14

Deterministic
Takes crime stats at face value
Assumes goal & value consensus
Only talks about utilitarian crimes for monetary gain
Ignores group delinquency
Doesn’t consider who goals fav - work hard - money - cap

Question 15

Positive Evaluation Merton

Answer 15

Explains anomie in a detailed way = product of strain between Soc accepted goals & Soc accepted means of achieving them
Based on 20 C US but is transferrable to any western, developed capitalist country

Question 16

Hirschi Bonds of Attachment (1969)

Answer 16

= 4 BofA that keep ppl linked to value consensus & ensure social control & order
Means those who don’t have family attachments, work commitments, get involved in school / have a clear moral code - someone marginalised & young

Question 17

Attachment.

Answer 17

How much do we care about what others think?
Might particularly care what spouse / children think

Question 18

Commitment

Bonds of Attachment

Answer 18

What have we got to lose?
Eg job - committing crime puts a lot at risk

Question 19

Involvement

Answer 19

How involved are we w/ Soc - what takes up our time? If we work are we involved in group hobbies etc would we have time to commit crime?

Question 20

Belief

Answer 20

To what extent do we believe following the law is the right thing to do?
How strong is our personal moral code?

Question 21

Hirschi Positive A03

Answer 21

Asks what stops ppl offending = useful intros ideas how to prevent & ach Soc order - has influ policy makers = interested in how can promo attachment can be encour & dev red

Question 22

Hirschi Negative A03

Answer 22

Doesn’t address why some have secure BofAs & why others = marg - Ms & Fems - no value consensus which benefits all - Soc is chara by conflict
Cap produces detached marg indus delib - creates unemploy reserve army of labour - keeps wages down

Question 23

Status Frustration - The Delinquent Sub Culture

Answer 23

Cohen argued Merton = flawed:
1. Delinq = col X indu respon - join together = col respon
2. Cul dep accounts for WC underach = few avs to ach
3. doesn’t account for non utilitarian crime WC boys suffer SF - want to be successful but lack quals & skills - reject Soc & create own n’s & v’s in gang = active non-U crim - V’s tend to be the reverse of mainstream v’s

Question 24

Cohen A03

Answer 24

develops ST = explan for non-U crime together = func for wide range of dev behav
idea sub culs consciously invert N’s & V’s of mainstream = crit if smash a bus shelter = unlikely conciously think soc would X
Lyng & Katz - indu m influ by boredom - seek buzz - could argue delinqs can = concious of how dev acts might provide access to rewards & status w/in group

Question 25

Cohen Ignores Gender & Class

Answer 25

Specifically links WC boys = v few links to class/gender - why do WC boys struggle to attain status at school in mainstream soc - Willis addresses but C doesn’t
Why boys if bc of SF many fems would argue in 1950s US girls would be the ones you would expect to create sub culs - cohen doesn’t explain whole situation

Question 26

Focal Concerns

Answer 26

Miller
WC have dif set of values / FCs - include hyper masc - can lead to crim behav seeming normal

Question 27

Miller Evaluation

Answer 27

not all WC = crims
Matza sub cul membership = short lived

Question 28

Cloward & Ohlin

Answer 28

accept m of M’s views - but failed to expl dif forms of dev
M only expl by legit oppur struc - didn’t consid illegit struc - access to illegit means success varies too
in WC = greater pressure on mems of WC to dev bc have less oppur to suceed by legit means

Question 29

Criminal Sub Cultures

Answer 29

tend to emerge in areas where = established pattern of org adult crime = learning environ for young - exposed to crim skills & dev values = crim role models - mainly concerned w/ utilitarian crime

Question 30

Conflict Sub Cultures

Answer 30

gangs organised by young ppl often based on claiming territory from other gangs = turf war

Question 31

Retreatist Sub Cultures

Answer 31

org around drug use bc have failed to suceed in both the legit & illegit strucs - have failed in conflict & crim sub culs so retreat to own sub culture

Question 32

C&O Evaluation

Answer 32

only looks at WC crime & crims
sub culs = distinct & sep
Matza - sub culs membership = temp
WC ppl have own sep sub cul w/ own values & indepen of mainstrean - Miller