Functionalism And Crime Part 2

Question 1

What did Merton develop?

Answer 1

Strain theory - based on how individuals respond to a value consensus

Question 2

How does Merton see anomie?

Answer 2

As a permanent feature of society unlike Durkheim who saw it as a temporary result of social change

Question 3

What does society present us with?

Answer 3

Cultural goals and pressures us to achieve success

- provides us with institutional means of achieving these goals

Question 4

How did Merton develop the meaning of anomie?

Answer 4

Saw it to mean a society where there is a strain between socially acceptable goals and the means of achieving them

Question 5

Summary of stain theory

Answer 5

Members of society are in different positions of the social structure
- different relationships with value consensus

Question 6

What is the culture goal?

Answer 6

The American dream - materialism

- can come from bottom and end up at the top

Question 7

Can everyone achieve the American dream through legitimate means?

Answer 7

No due to unequal class based society 
- those in higher classes have more opportunity to succeed

Question 8

Who are the conformists?

Answer 8

Middle class

Question 9

Who are innovation?

Answer 9

Criminals, working class

Question 10

Who are the ritualism?

Answer 10

Lower middle class

Question 11

Who are the retreatists?

Answer 11

Dropouts

Question 12

Who are the rebellion?

Answer 12

Activists

Question 13

Who accept the means and accept the goals?

Answer 13

Conformity

Question 14

Who accept institutionalised means and reject cultural goals?

Answer 14

Ritualism

Question 15

Who reject the means and accept the goals?

Answer 15

Innovation

Question 16

Who reject the means and also reject the goals?

Answer 16

Retreatism

Question 17

Who make new means and new goals?

Answer 17

Rebellion

Question 18

Criticism of strain theory

Answer 18

Do we all have a consensus around means and goals?

• too much focus on individual response to anime - ignores how groups respond
• blames the socialisation of working class and promotes criminality
• fails to explain non-utilitarian crime
• doesn’t consider crime amongst successful people who don’t experience strain

Question 19

Utilitarian crime

Answer 19

Crime with economic and material benefit (drug dealing, theft, fraud) 
- doesn’t explain how higher class commit crime crime

Question 20

Subcultural theories

Answer 20

Merton - accused of not being able to explain non-utilitarian crime

Question 21

What is deviance a product of?

Answer 21

Delinquent subcultures who have different values to mainstream society

Question 22

Albert Cohen

Answer 22

Developed Merton’s theory

• said response to strain is collective not individual
• not all deviant behaviour is linked to achieving goals or utilitarian success

Question 23

Status frustration (Cohen)

Answer 23

Ex boys try to emulate MC values and aspirations in school but lack the means

• leads to status frustration
• reject MC values of acceptable behaviour and join with others

Question 24

Alternative status hierarchy

Answer 24

Deviant subcultures invert mainstream society’s values - what society condemns, the subculture praises
- subcultures provide an alternative status hierarchy - can achieve status through deviance

Question 25

Criticism of COhens status frustration

Answer 25

No mention of female offenders

- Box: delinquents originally accepted society’s goals

Question 26

Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 26

Agree Awh are denied success through legitimate opportunity structure

• Merton failed to consider the illegitimate opportunity structure
• not all working class respond in the same way
• unequal access to illegitimate opportunity structure