functionalist criminology

Question 1

what do they believe

Answer 1

crime serves a positive function in any given society
- crime is a result of society not individuals
- the nature of society causes crime

Question 2

society of saints

Answer 2

minor imperfections are seen as being against social norms
- boundary of delinquency changes - more perfect society means less delinquency

Question 3

limited amount of crime is…

Answer 3

inevitable and necessary
- crime has some positive functions
- too much crime is bad for society and can bring about its collapse
- ‘without crime society will stagnate’ - Durkheim

Question 4

theory of anomie - Durkheim

Answer 4

• state of normlessness
• conscious collective - majority of societal views and thoughts on social norms
• boundary maintenance - aligns what is socially acceptable and not / labelling things as deviant shows right and wrong
• moral code violations
  crimes against morality are seen as more serious bc stereotypes

Question 5

3 positive functions of crime

Answer 5

social regulation - reaffirming boundaries of acceptable behaviour
- police making arrests shows right and wrong
social integration - social cohesion
- integration of everyone in societies ideas
social change - boundaries of what is acceptable is changed

Question 6

society norms changed based on

Answer 6

generational opinion and boundary maintenance

Question 7

Durkheim view on punishment

Answer 7

• healthy society requires crime + punishment for balance and change
• point of punishment is to control crime and maintain collective sentiments
• punishment - reinforcing societal boundaries on what is right and wrong using public punishment