Functionalism Negative C&D Functions Flashcards
Who said the value consensus of society is weakened in times of change?
Durkheim
What does a weakened value consensus pose a threat to?
Social stability
What is it called when many people in society do not know what norms and values to follow?
Anomie
What might happen if people act in selfish ways?
Crime will increase
Name a recent period of time where society greatly changed
Covid-19 Lockdowns
Name 2 laws people broke during the Lockdowns
Going out for more than 1 hour, not wearing masks
What does it mean if people do not follow the value consensus?
They start to act in selfish ways
Why do upper class people believe they can get away with corporate crimes in terms of responsibility?
Because responsibility is diffused
What do Functionalists ignore with their view of uncertainty over norms and values resulting in crimes, according to Marxists?
Many crimes created during periods of instability are done by the upper class
Which Marxist created the 3 reasons why upper class people get away with CC’s?
Croall
Why do upper class people believe they can get away with corporate crimes in terms of meeting victims?
Victims and Offenders rarely meet
Why do upper class people believe they can get away with corporate crimes in terms of victims’ knowledge?
Victims may not know that they are victims
Which 2 types of crimes are upper class people more likely to commit in society?
Corporate Crimes, White Collar Crimes
Which Functionalist observed why most people did not commit crimes in relation to social bonds?
Hirschi
Why is the social bond of involvement with others a prevention of crime?
Because it leaves us with less time to commit crimes
Why is the social bond of attatchment to others a prevention of crime?
Because the risk of committing a crime and losing everything is too great
Why is belief in the law a prevention of crime?
Because it means people will believe the law system is beneficial for society
Why are the social bond factors more likely to apply to adults?
Because they have had time to develop these bonds
Why is investment in what we have a prevention of crime?
Everything we spend time building up could be lost if you committed a crime
Why will the attachment to others social bond be weaker for young people?
Young people will have less attachment to others in society
Why will the involvement with others social bond be weaker for young people?
Young people have less things to involve themselves in so might take up the time by committing crimes
Name a group of people in school that young people will not be attatched to
Their peers
Why will the belief in the law social bond be weaker for young people?
They have not developed a connection with the law
Why will the investment in what we have social bond be weaker for young people?
Because they have not built up their own family or their own career
Which age group is most likely to be in prison?
30 to 39 year olds
Which organization has data on prison populations going against Hirschi’s argument?
The Home Office
What could be argued about judges with young offenders?
They are more lenient with young offenders
Why would prison statistics be inaccurate if judges were lenient to young offenders?
It would mean there would be less young people in prison who should be
Name a case where a young person had a lenient judge
Brock Turner Case
How old was Brock Turner?
19 years old?
What crime had Brock Turner committed?
Sexual Assault
What prison sentence was given to Brock Turner?
6 months
Why was Brock Turner given a short sentence?
The judge did not want to give a sentence that would impact his career
How many months in prison did Brock Turner actually serve?
3 months
What career did Brock Turner have?
A swimming career
Which data found the most populated age for people in prison is 30 to 39 years old?
2020 Home Office Data
Which functionalist created the concept of strain?
Merton
What was the American Dream?
To be wealthy and successful
What was an issue with the social structure of the USA for the American Dream?
It was not suited for everyone to achieve the American Dream
Which class in society found it harder to achieve the American Dream?
Working class
How many ways did Merton argue there were to following the socially acceptable goals?
5
What were the 4 adaptations as alternatives to being a Conformist?
Innovator, Rebel, Ritualist, Retreatist
What was the name of the way most individuals approached socially acceptable goals?
Conformists
How would Ritualists approach the American Dream?
They would give up on trying to achieve it but continue to have a job
How would Retreatists approach the American Dream?
They would give up on using the socially approved means of the American Dream and instead receive benefits
What did Chambliss say the Capitalist system did?
Encourage people to consume endlessly
How would Rebels approach the American dream?
They would reject it and make their own goals
What would Marxists say about Merton’s strain theory?
He ignores the people who created the American Dream for a specific purpose
What would Marxists argue about the purpose of the American Dream was?
To keep the proletariat trying to achieve a goal that they would not achieve
Which Functionalist observed a deviant youth culture experiencing status frustration?
Cohen
Name 2 crimes which the working class boys committed in Cohen’s study
Vandalism, Violence
What concept did Cohen create?
Status frustration
What was the financial benefit of the crimes committed in Cohen’s study?
Because it did not give the participants any financial gain
What is status frustration?
When working class students aspire to gain status in school but fail
How do working class boys respond to status frustration?
They join anti-school subcultures
Why do working class boys join anti-school subcultures as a response to status frustration?
Because they believe it will help them achieve status
What do the working class boys do to middle class values?
They invert them
Name a middle class value about school that was inverted by the working class boys
Middle class value of education being useful was changed to be seen as pointless
What would Postmodernists say about Crime being a response to status frustration?
This idea is outdated
What would Lyng say about why young people commit crime?
They commit it for the thrill of getting away with it or the excitement of getting caught
What does Lyng say about the increase in CCTV?
It makes people more likely to commit crimes?
Why does Lyng argue CCTV will cause more crime?
It is more difficult to get away with the crime
What would Katz say about why young people commit crime?
It has a seductive element to it
