Functionalism and Crime Flashcards
What is the overall functionalist perspective of crime?
Crime is not only inevitable, it is functional (has an important role)
Durkheim- Functionality of crime
Crime is not only normal, but necessary; it defines moral boundaries of society and reinforces social consensus (agreement)
Argued 3 points
-Crime is Normal; it is an everyday aspect of life
-Crime is Universal; it occurs in all cultures
-Crime is Functional;it has a range of benefits, which help society function effectively
Durkheim- Crime & Social Solidarity
Crime has a functional role of bringing people and communities together, especially when a serious crime has taken place. People come together to show solidarity against the criminal act, this helps society unite and creates social solidarity.
Durkheim- Crime as an economic function
Crime has an important economic function for society. Provides jobs (lawyers, policemen etc.) and drugs (cocaine) provides high GBP.
Durkheim- Anomie
Crime= result of individuals being insufficiently integrated into society’s norms and values. In modern society the authority of family and religion is undermined, so people are more likely to experience anomie.
Individualism increases giving greater freedom but increasing the possibility of criminal/deviant behaviour.
As society becomes more developed, people become more depressed
Durkheim (anomie) 5 Factors that lead to crime:
- Individualism: choose everything yourself, if fail- your fault
- Excessive Hope: Capitalism raises hope, all have too much hope that we will be successful when we won’t, we experience anomie
- Too much freedom: Norms and values declines, leads to anomie due to less structure
- Atheism
- Weakening of the family; family has declined, less stable and important to us.
Kinsley Davies- Safety Valve
Crime is a safety valve. Prostitution= men release their sexual frustration without threatening the monogamous nuclear family. Low level crimes prevent serious crime
Robert Merton- Strain Theory
Suggested durkheim’s theory of anomie is too vague Introduced this theory to account for the ‘strain’ between an individual’s goal and the chance of achieving them through legitimate means (education and work)
Those at the bottom of society may experience economic and social deprivation (lack of cultural capital to achieve their goals) therefore, their chances of achieving material success is low.
Merton (strain) 5 ways an individual can respond to anomie:
Conformity: Cope by doing their best
Innovation: Commitment to cultural goals may stay the same, but some people reject the conventional ways of acquiring wealth and turn to crime
Ritualism: Some have lost the ambition to achieve material goals so gain satisfaction from meaningless and low paid jobs
Retreatism: Small no. people reject both the goals and the means to achieve them by dropping out of society (drug use)
Rebellion: Some may rebel and seek to replace shared goals with more radical alternatives such as crime.
According to Merton, who are more likely to commit crime?
Reatreatists, Rebels and Innovaters
Robert Agnew: General Strain
Adapting Merton’s strain theory, but does not concentrate on lower class and strain, takes into account the frustrations all individuals feel in everyday life and how this can potentially lead to crime.
Agnew ( General strain) 3 aspects that create strain and frustration:
Failure to achieve goals valued by society (education)
Negative Experiences (abusive parents, terrorism)
Removal of positive experiences (miscarriage, divorce)
