Functionalist

Question 1

Crime occurs because ?

Answer 1

Not everyone equally socialised into shared norms and values.

Diversity of lifestyles and different groups create their own subcultures

Question 2

Durheims view ?

Answer 2

It’s functional and benefits society’s in three ways.
1. Boundary maintenance function
2. Reminds of acceptable social boundaries
3. Boundary testing function.
Minor crimes act as a safety valves which prevent more serious crimes

Question 3

What does Durkheim mean by the balance of crime ?

Answer 3

Too little crime and deviance means that society is repressing and controlling its members too much, stifling freedom and preventing change.
Too much crime leads to state of anomie. The rules become weakened and less clear cut.

Question 4

What does anomie mean to Durkheim ?

Answer 4

Normlessness to crime

Question 5

What do Durkheim and tonnies argue about increase of crime ?

Answer 5

A increase in crime is due to breakdown of community. People less bonded to others

Question 6

What are criticism to Durkheim theory

Answer 6

1. How much is the right amount ?
2. he ignores that some crime will always be dysfunctional.
3. Marxist claim that he underestimated the level of conflict and inequalities in modern societies.

Question 7

Crime and deviance are seen as ?

Answer 7

Useful and necessary in society.

See crime as inevitable and universal in all societies

Question 8

Sociologist who have developed durkheims idea

Answer 8

Kingsley Davis - argues prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release of men’s sexual frustration without threatening monogamous nuclear family.

Question 9

Mertons explanation combines two elements?

Answer 9

Structural factors - society’s unequal opportunity structure
Cultural factors - the strong emphasis on success goals and the weaker emphasis on using legitimate means to achieve them