Functionalist

Question 1

What does Durkheim believe about crime?

Answer 1

It’s inevitable and sometimes necessary
But to much crime can lead to anomie
Ultimately there are 4 functions

Question 2

Durkheim what are the 4 key functions?

Answer 2

Defines boundaries
Tests boundaries
Creates social change
Creates social cohesion

Question 3

Durkheim- how does crime define boundaries?

Answer 3

The media will inform us of the consequences faced by criminals and deviants making it clear to the rest of society what’s acceptable and unacceptable behaviour

Question 4

Durkheim- how does crime test boundaries?

Answer 4

Committing crime is a way if testing what’s acceptable and what’s not, if boundaries are pushed by more and more deviants it becomes acceptable
e.g. same sex marriage

Question 5

What does Durkheim mean by crime can create social change?

Answer 5

All social change begins with some sort of deviance
In order for society to progress; yesterdays deviance must become todays normality
Suffragette movement

Question 6

What does Durkheim mean by crime creates social cohesion?

Answer 6

A small amount of deviance in society can have a reinforcing function in bonding society together against a common enemy

Question 7

What does Kingsley davis say was a function in crime?

Answer 7

Crimes a saftey valve
Deviance can be a way of providing a relatively harmless expression of discontent in society without become a threat to the stability of society
E.g. those that watch porn means they won’t commit rape or domestic violence as they can let of steam fulfilling a need w/o harm

Question 8

Critic of Kingsley Davis?

Answer 8

If we look at the bigger picture it may lead to more crimes due to violence in porn, more violent sexual desires resulting in domestic violence or rape
Also doing drugs may relieve steam but you don’t think about the gangs violence of trafficking it took to be there with you

Question 9

Albert Cohens theory of crime ?

Answer 9

Crimes a warning device
Certain deviant acts act as a warning to indicate that an aspect of society is malfunctioning

Question 10

Critic of Albert Cohen?

Answer 10

We don’t know how for it has to be to be a warning device, must be bad if it goes unoticed
Only a warning device if action is taken

Question 11

Was functionalist can be challenged?

Answer 11

-Crimes harmful to individuals and society
-Deviance may lead to more deviance e.g. rather than acting as a social cohesion it can lead to distrust, revenge and stereotyping
-Fails to take into account capatalism/patriarchy
-How much deviance is the right amount of devicence
-Who’s crime functional for? Not the victim

Question 12

Travis Hirschi- what are the 4 reasons why people do NOT commit crime?

Answer 12

Attachment
Involvement
Commitment
Belief in society

Question 13

Hirschi- what’s attachment?

Answer 13

Affection and sensitivity to others
Friends and family

Question 14

Hirschi- what’s imvolvmemt?

Answer 14

Being busy and restricted opportunity for delinquency
Hobby
To many problems

Question 15

Hirschi- what does he mean by belief in society?

Answer 15

Degree to which persons think they should obey the law
How far we agree with law

Question 16

Hirschi- what does he mean by commitment?

Answer 16

Investment in conventional society or stake in conformity
Family
Job/employmeny

Question 17

Criticism of Hirschis elements of social bond

Answer 17

People with these bonds still comit crime
E.g. white collar corporate crime
Sex offenders may have jobs and even family’s if there own

Question 18

What is Merton strain theory?

Answer 18

-There are goals and mean to society, those that agree to the goals and follow legitimate means achieved to them at conformists
-Devience is caused by the fact nit all groups in society have the same means to reach the same goals
-Merton American society the American Dream, meritocratic society via hard work when the reality inequality of opportunity, people want success at any price

Question 19

Merton 5 parts of the strain theory?

Answer 19

Conformity
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreating,
Rebellion

Question 20

Merton- what’s conformity?

Answer 20

Members of society that conform to both successful goals and the normative means of reaching them
Striving for success by means of accepted channels
Accept goals and means

Question 21

Merton- what’s innovation and what does this lead to devience?

Answer 21

Rejection normal ways to generate success
W/C with low educational achievement
-there ways to success is blocked so they need to find away to retain reward
Accept goals and reject means

Question 22

Merton- what is ritualism and how does this lead to crime and deviance?

Answer 22

Lower middle class people that have jobs but scale down and abandon success
More successes than lower class but not as much as upper middle
-Reject the success goals held up by most of the society as their occupation does provide much success
Reject goals but accept means

Question 23

Merton- what’s retreatism and how does it lead to crime and deviance?

Answer 23

These are outcast drug addicts that have internalised goals and interpreted means yet they fail to reach them
-These reject cultural goals and instructional means and the inability to cope so drop out of society
-These reject goals and means

Question 24

Merton- what is rebellion and how does it lead to deviance?

Answer 24

These in the rising class with replaced goals, facing pressure due to there place in class system
-Reiection of success goals and means adopting new society, pressure to be deviant
-They creat new goals through new means