FUNCTIONALIST AND SUBCULTURAL VIEWS OF CRIME

Question 1

what sociologist studied boundary maintenance

Answer 1

Durkheim

Question 2

what is boundary maintenance

Answer 2

serious crimes reaffirm societies committment to the collective conscience

Question 3

is boundary maintenance functional or dysfunctional

Answer 3

functional

Question 4

what is the difference between functional and dysfunctional functions of crime

Answer 4

positive function is functional
dysfunctional - crime is a result of negative things in society

Question 5

what sociologist came up with the idea that crime has led to adaptation and change

Answer 5

Durkheim

Question 6

what is an explanation of Durkheims adaptation and change

Answer 6

deviance acts as a form of innovation, changing social norms and leading to social changes

Question 7

what theorists came up with the concept of the safety valve

Answer 7

Durkheim and Davies

Question 8

what is the explanation of the concept of safety valve

Answer 8

the levels of devience demonstrates the overall health of society - too much leads to atrophy of bonds. too little - stagnation of society

Question 9

what sociologist came up with the idea of strain and deviant adaptations

Answer 9

Merton

Question 10

explain the idea of strain and deviant adaptations

Answer 10

strain to achieve socially approved goals leads to deviant behaviour in some instances

Question 11

what sociologist came up with bonds of attachment

Answer 11

Hirschi

Question 12

explain the concept of bonds of attachment

Answer 12

crime is committed by individuals that do not feel engaged in society

Question 13

what sociologist came up with status frustration

Answer 13

Cohen

Question 14

explain the concept of status frustration

Answer 14

the inability to achieve status leads to adopting alternative status hierarchies

Question 15

what sociologists came up with the concept of oppurtunity structures

Answer 15

Cloward and ohlin

Question 16

explain the concept of opportunity structures

Answer 16

lack of opportunity in areas leads to young people choosing subcultures

Question 17

what sociologist came up with focal concerns

Answer 17

miller

Question 18

explain the concept of focal concerns

Answer 18

WC have different norms + values than the rest of society

Question 19

define anomie

Answer 19

lack of norms and values in a society

Question 20

define collective conscience

Answer 20

societies collective moral attitudes, norms and values

Question 21

define strain

Answer 21

strain is the tension felt between an individuals goals and their ability to achieve them through legitimate means

Question 22

define subcultures

Answer 22

a group within society that has its own self contained identity, norms and values

Question 23

define status frustration

Answer 23

frustration shown by individuals due to having status denied through lack of opportunity

Question 24

define alternative status hierarchy

Answer 24

subverting of norms and values of mainstream culture in order to acheive status through devience

Question 25

define legitimate and illegitimate opportunities

Answer 25

legitimate opportunities are socially approved ways in which people can achieve success. illegitimate are devient pathways often illegal

Question 26

define criminal subcultures

Answer 26

according to Cloward and Ohlin its created in areas where there is a history of hierarchal organised crime and young people are apprenticed into crime

Question 27

define conflict subculture

Answer 27

conflict cultures occur where there is a lack of community and the absence of an established criminal network

Question 28

define retreatist subculture

Answer 28

retreatist subcultures occur where the members have given up on achieving social goals and look for alternative means and alternative goals - usually associated with drug and alcohol abuse

Question 29

explain the function safety valve performs for society

Answer 29

too much crime shows that societies norms and values are in decay, wheras too little crime demonstrates that society is stagnent

Question 30

explain the function boundary maintenance performs for society

Answer 30

Durkheim suggested that some crimes unite society in condemning the criminal thus reinforcing social bonds

Question 31

explain the function adaptation and change performs for society

Answer 31

Durkheim suggested that societies evolve through deviance, as devient acts become more acceptable, society adapts and changes its value consensus accordingly

Question 32

what is an example of boundary maintenence

Answer 32

terrorist attacks child murder

Question 33

what is an example of status frustration

Answer 33

2011 riots

Question 34

what is an example of adaptation and change

Answer 34

eco - terrorism has changed debate on global warming

Question 35

what is an example of conflict subcultures

Answer 35

gang wars

Question 36

how does the strain theory cause working class crime

Answer 36

limited educational opportunities so are most likely to adopt one of the devient strains

Question 37

how does status frustration cause male crime

Answer 37

due to lack of academic focus in their peer groups they are more likely to clash with educational figures meaning they are less likely to achieve status in education. therefore they adopt an alternative status hierarchy and view criminal behaviour as desirable in achieving status

Question 38

how does bonds of attachment cause minority ethnic crime

Answer 38

most likely to be marginalised in society because of negative stereotypes. therefore they are unlikely to feel commitment to norms and values of society and therefore commit crime

Question 39

how does the strain theory cause occupational crime

Answer 39

strain theory highlights the need to achieve the American dream, but puts less emphasis on how to achieve it. therefore some MC workers may look to achieve that goal through occupational crimes such as fraud and embezzlement

Question 40

how does conflict subcultures cause minority ethnic crime

Answer 40

conflict subcultures are most likely to occur in areas where there is no established criminal network. as many ethnic minorities live in areas of high transition this leads to conflict between groups with conflicting identities

Question 41

how does the strain theory cause corporate crimes

Answer 41

need to achieve the american dream isn't limited to individuals.corporations need to achieve their profits to satisfy their shareholders, but often resort to illegitimate means, whether this is through cheap, labour or cutting costs on health and safety. the pressure to achieve profits leads to corporate crime