Functionalism, strain and subcultural theories Flashcards
What does Durkheim believe about crime
Believed crime is normal and healthy in society. He believed it exists because of:
Ineffective socialisation.
Diversity of lifestyle and values.
What are two positive functions of crime?
- Boundary maintenance which is the reaction to crime that unites members in condemnation
- Adaptation and change- there must be a challenge and scope to change norms and values. This is because, if new ideas are suppressed, society will stagnate which may cause cultural conflict.
What are the criticisms of Durkheim ?
- He states crime is good but does not specify how much
- Criticised by realists because crime and deviance should inform policymakers in terms of how to prevent crime.
- Marxists argue that he fails to consider where the consensus comes from (bourgeoisie) and whose interest it exists.
- Crime does not always promote solidarity and it may have the opposite effect, leading to people becoming more isolated e.g forcing women to stay indoors for fear of an attack
What does Hirschi believe about Bonds of attachment
- Attachment can stop crime as we care what others think.
- Commitment can also prevent crime as you have more to lose
What are the evaluations of Hirschi
-This ideology is positive as he asks the question of what stops people from committing crimes rather than why they commit them so we can find ways to prevent crime.
-However, he doesn’t address why some members of society have secure bonds and why some are marginalised
What is Merton’s Strain Theory
This theory argues that people engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means.
What two factors help explain Merton’s strain theory?
-Structural factors which are society’s unequal opportunity structure
-cultural factors which place a strong emphasis on success goals and a weaker emphasis on using legitimate means to achieve them.
What is the American Dream vs reality according to Merton?
The American dream is the expectation to pursue “money success” by legitimate means (meritocratic). However, many disadvantaged groups are denied the opportunities legitimately.
What are the criticisms of Merton’s strain theory?
- He takes official crime statistics at face value which over-represent working class crime so he sees crime as a working class phenomenon. So his view is too deterministic as a result.
- It also assumes that there is a value consensus and everyone strives for “money success” when not everyone strives for this .
- Marxists argue that it ignores the power of the ruling class to make and enforce the laws in ways that criminalise the poor but not the rich.
- It explains how deviance results from individuals adapting to the strain to anomie but ignores the role of group deviance, such as delinquent subcultures
How does Cohen criticise Merton
-Deviance is an individual response according to Merton ignores that much deviance is committed in or by groups, especially among the young
-He focuses on utilitarian crime and ignores crimes such as assault.
What are the three deviant subcultures?
Conflict subculture
Retreatist subculture
Criminal subculture
What are criminal subcultures?
They provide youths with apprenticeships for careers in crime. Evident in neighbourhoods with longstanding and stable criminal culture. It also provides established hierarchy.
Where does criminal subcultures
in areas of high pop turnover. High levels of social disorganisation, prevents stable professional criminal network forming.
What is a retreatist subculture?
Those who aspire to be professional criminals don’t always succeed. They have failed in both the legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures.
