Functionalist and subcultural theories of Crime Flashcards
Why should sociologists reject Lombroso and Eysenck’s theories?
They insist that a satisfactory explanation of crime and deviance must take the social context into account as they believe crime and deviance is socially constructed
What picture of the criminal do socio-biologists such as Lombroso and psychologists such as Eysenck offer to the debate?
Lombroso claimed that criminals were biologically distinct from non-criminals and that this difference explained their criminal behaviour. Eysenck believes that personality is largely inherited and that certain types of personality are more prone to react to environmental situations with criminal behaviour
Why does Durkheim suggest that deviance is good for society?
For Durkheim, crime has two important, positive functions - Boundary maintenance and Adaptation and change
What is a degradation ceremony?
Criminal trials and public punishment which remind us of our shared norms and values and reinforce social solidarity
What other functions of crime did Kingsley Davis and Clinard suggest?
Kingsley Davis argued that crime and deviance can act as a safety valve which Clinard suggests serves as a signal or warning that there is some defect in the social organisation that may lead to changes that enhance efficiency and morale
What is the ‘Strain theory’ of crime?
The strain theory argues that people engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means. Merton believes the strain to be caused by structural and cultural factors
Summarise each of Merton’s adaptations to strain and anomie in one sentence each
Conformity - Individuals accept the culturally approved goals and strive to achieve them legitimately
Innovation - Individuals accept the goal of money success but use ‘new’, illegitimate means such as theft or fraud to achieve it
Ritualism - Individuals give up on trying to achieve the goals, but have internalised the legitimate means and so they follow the rules for their own sake
Retreatism - Individuals reject both the goals and the legitimate means and become dropouts
Rebellion - Individuals reject the existing society’s goals and means, but replace them with new ones in a desire to bring about revolutionary changes
Evaluate Strain theory. What can it not explain?
Merton’s strain theory is too deterministic as not everyone that experiences strain is deviant and it over-represents working class crime. Also, it doesn’t explain why upper class individuals who are not under strain commit crime and it does not explain the reason for vandalism or violent crime
What is a subculture?
A group of people within society who share norms, values, beliefs and attitudes that are in some way different from or opposed to the mainstream culture
How did Cohen use subculture to explain crime?
Cohen argues that working class boys suffer from status frustration so they reject mainstream, middle class values and turn instead to other boys in the same situation, forming or joining a delinquent subculture in which they aim to achieve alternative status hierarchy through delinquent actions
What types of crime can Cohen explain that Merton cannot?
Cohen acknowledges that much deviance is committed in groups/subcultures and he offers explanations for crimes such as assault and vandalism which Merton does not
Cloward and Ohlin identified 3 types of deviant subculture. What were they?
Criminal subcultures which provide youths with an apprenticeship for a career in utilitarian crime, Conflict subcultures which arise in areas of high population turnover and Retreatist subcultures which consist of ‘double-failures’ who have failed both legitimately and illegitimately so turn to illegal drug use
Evaluate Cloward and Ohlin. Give one strength and one limitation
They show that working class delinquency is not simply concerned with material gain, however, they fail to acknowledge the overlaps between subcultures such as gangs being involved in conflict also making large sums of money from dealing drugs
Why did a separate working class subculture emerge according to Miller?
Miller argues that the lower class has its own independent subculture that arises out of an attempt to achieve their own goals which he calls ‘focal concerns’
What are ‘focal concerns’ and how do they increase the risk of crime?
Focal concerns include a desire for excitement and thrills, an emphasis on toughness and a macho form of masculinity. Focal concerns are not mainstream so they conflict with the values of the institutions that enforce social control which means they are likely to be punished
What are subterranean values?
‘Underground values’ that are only expressed in particular situations which include an emphasis on excitement and toughness
What are techniques to neutralisation according to Matza?
Denial of responsibility, Denial of injury, Denial of the victim, Condemning the condemners and Appeal to higher loyalties
What advantages are there to Matza’s drift theory?
Matza provided a view of delinquency which answers the criticisms of strain theory and subcultural theory and Downes and Rock believe Matza’s view describes the criminal behaviour of many young men in Britain
