Functionalism And The Crime Flashcards
What are Durkheim’s three key ideas about crime and deviance?
- Crime is inevitable and necessary
- Crime has multiple positive functions for society
- Too much crime is bad for society
According to Durkheim, why is crime considered inevitable?
Crime is present in all societies and is higher in industrialized societies due to varying commitments to collective conscience and sentiments.
Why are people unequally connected to collective sentiments?
Variations in individual lives/experiences makes it impossible for one true collective
People assimiliate differently with the collective sentiment (shared values, norms etc) causing crime and deviance
What is a ‘society of saints’ according to Durkheim?
A society filled with perfect behavior where the slightest slip is deemed a serious offense.
How does deviance contribute to social change according to Durkheim?
All social change begins with some form of deviance; yesterday’s deviance becomes today’s norm.
What critique does Durkheim face regarding his explanation of crime?
He does not explain why certain individuals are more likely to commit crimes than others.
Ignores the concept of power within the criminal justice system
What is the ‘marking the extremities of acceptable behavior’ function of law?
The law marks unacceptable behavior through arrests, making it clear to society.
What is the ‘publicity function’ of law?
Boundaries of acceptable behavior must be made known through publicity, often dramatized in courtrooms.
Newspapers assist this with their exaggerated accounts of crime
Who spoke about the dramatic setting of classroom?
Erikson
Lawyers and judges dress in special clothes and theres a ceremony which condemns a person’s actions in a public arena
How do criminals help the law reflect the wishes of the population and legalise social change?
Criminals test the boundaries of permitted action, prompting legal reform when the law is out of step with societal (majority) values and feelings.
Criminals perform a crucial service in helping this process.
What is meant by bonds are strengthened?
Another element is the ‘boundary testing’ function
Feelings of mutual horror or fear cause bonds between people to be strengthened
What does Cohen suggest about deviance as a safety valve?
Deviance provides a harmless expression of discontent, protecting social order.
In Cohen’s example, prostitution performs such a safety valve function, without threatening the institution and stability of the family
How does crime and deviance act as a warning device?
Cohen suggests that certain deviant acts are useful warning devices that indicate an aspect of society is malfunctioning
May draw attention to the problem and lead to measures to solve it
What can too much crime lead to?
According to Durkheim, development of anomie
- people become greedy and selfish resulting in the long term collaspe of order and harmony
What is ‘anomie’ according to Durkheim?
A state where people disregard social expectations and prioritize their own interests, leading to a collapse of order.
What is Merton’s strain theory?
Crime increases when there is a gap between society’s success goals and the opportunities to achieve them legitimately.
Calls this imbalance between goals and the ability to achieve anomie
Why is crime higher in the working classes?
According to Merton, it’s due fewer opportunities avaliable to achieve material success through legitimate means
Leads to the adoption of innovative cultural responses to achieve material success thru criminal means
- EG: Burglary and drug dealing
What are Merton’s five typologies of crime and deviance?
- Conformity
- Innovation
- Ritualism
- Retreatism
- Rebellion
What is conformity in Merton’s typology?
Involves acceptance of cultural goals and means of attaining these goals
What is innovation in Merton’s typology?
Acceptance of goals of a culture but the rejection of traditional and/or legitimate means of attaining those goals
What is ritualism in Merton’s typology?
Rejection of cultural goals but the **routinised acceptance **of the means for achieving the goals
What is retreating in Merton’s typology?
**Rejection of both **the cultural goals and traditional means of achieving those goals
What is rebelling in Merton’s typology?
Special case: individual rejects both cultural goals and traditional means of achieving them but ** actively attempts to reduce** both elements of society with different goals and means
What does Hirschi’s theory focus on?
It focuses on why individuals do not engage in criminal activity based on their attachment to society.
