Functionalist Explanations of Crime Flashcards
P1: What is Durkheim’s main argument about crime?
Crime is an inevitable and functional aspect of society, as not everyone is equally socialised into the same norms and values. Crime occurs due to anomie—when rules become unclear or weak.
What are the two key functions of crime, according to Durkheim?
Boundary Maintenance: Crime reinforces social norms as society unites to condemn the deviant and reaffirm collective values.
Adaptation and Change: Deviant individuals introduce new ideas that, over time, can lead to social progress (e.g., civil rights movements).
What is an example of how crime can lead to social change?
The legalisation of same-sex marriage in the UK was initially considered deviant, but over time, society adapted and accepted it as part of cultural norms
How does Durkheim’s view highlight the role of crime in society?
Crime is not always harmful but can be beneficial in driving social change. By punishing deviance, society reinforces its shared norms, ensuring stability
What are the limitations of Durkheim’s view on crime?
Durkheim fails to explain excessively harmful crimes, such as violent crimes or genocide.
He does not consider the impact of crime on victims—some crimes are so serious that society does not need to be reminded of them to reinforce norms.
P2: What is Merton’s main argument about crime?
Deviance results from a strain between culturally approved goals (e.g., financial success) and the legitimate means available to achieve them.
What is one adaptations to anomie, according to Merton?
Innovation: Accept goals but use illegitimate means (e.g., fraud).
What is an example of innovation in Merton’s strain theory?
White-collar crimes such as fraud and tax evasion illustrate innovation, where individuals desire wealth but use illegal means to obtain it.
How does Merton’s theory explain crime?
Merton highlights how societal structures create pressure to deviate, particularly among working-class individuals who face limited opportunities.
What are the limitations of Merton’s strain theory?
Merton assumes a value consensus—that everyone shares the same success goals—ignoring that some may reject financial success altogether.
P3: What is Cohen’s main argument about crime?
Deviance is not always economically motivated but can be a response to status frustration, particularly among working-class boys.
How does Cohen explain status frustration?
Working-class boys experience anomie in school, failing to achieve middle-class success. To cope, they form delinquent subcultures that invert mainstream values, rewarding deviance instead of conformity.
What is an example of status frustration leading to crime?
Gang culture and anti-school subcultures reflect this—youths who struggle academically reject mainstream success and gain status through delinquent acts like vandalism or fighting.
How does Cohen’s theory explain group deviance?
Cohen provides insight into why crime is often committed for non-financial reasons, highlighting how youth seek status in alternative ways through deviant subcultures.
: What are the limitations of Cohen’s theory?
Cohen assumes all working-class boys initially share middle-class goals before rejecting them, which may not always be the case.
P4: What is Cloward and Ohlin’s main argument about crime?
Different illegitimate opportunities lead to different types of deviant subcultures.
What are the three types of deviant subcultures, according to Cloward and Ohlin?
Criminal Subcultures: Organised crime networks (e.g., the Mafia).
Conflict Subcultures: Gang violence in disorganised areas where legal and criminal opportunities are blocked.
Retreatist Subcultures: Drug use and withdrawal from society by those who fail in both legal and illegal structures.
What is an example of a conflict subculture?
Gang-related crime in urban areas is often conflict-driven, where legal and criminal opportunities are both blocked.
How does Cloward and Ohlin’s theory explain different types of crime?
It builds on strain theory by explaining why different types of deviance emerge based on access to criminal opportunities, such as organised crime or gang violence.
What are the limitations of Cloward and Ohlin’s theory?
They assume criminals specialise in only one type of crime, but research (e.g., South, 2014) shows many criminals operate across different subcultures.
