Functionalist explanations of crime and deviance

Question 1

What does Merton say about crime and deviance?

Answer 1

• There are clearly defined goals in society, and clearly defined means to achieve these goals (e.g: hard work, skill)
• If goals are emphasised more than the means to achieve them/if alternative means become accessible/acceptable/ preferred, anomie occurs

Question 2

What is Merton’s strain theory?

Answer 2

• There is sometimes strain towards anomie
• The goal becomes more important than the means- people do whatever it takes to ‘win’
  5 responses to strain:
  1) Conformity (hard work, legitimate)
  2) Innovation (illegitimate means)
  3) Ritualism (lower goals- realistic)
  4) Retreatism (drop out of society)
  5) Rebellion (create own goals)

Question 3

What did Durkheim say about crime and anomie?

Answer 3

• Anomie= state of normlessness (no agreed rules= chaos)- damaging to society
• Crime is an integral part of a healthy society
• Some c+d is inevitable- people test boundaries
• Socialisation prevents anomie
• Small amounts of C+D can prevent anomie if it is punished (BUT, if permitted= breakdown of social order, state of anomie- threaten stabilty of society

Question 4

What did Durkheim say about crime and social solidarity?

Answer 4

• Social solidarity= sense of cohesion felt bt society (feel as part of a whole), e.g.: royal births/weddings, world cup, olympics
• “Crime brings together upright consciences”
• Discussed outrage about a small town scandal which led to the expression of ‘public temper’- promotes SS
• Collective conscience- shared values and ideas about right and wrong= communities police themselves

Question 5

What do functionaists say about crime/deviance and boundaries?

Answer 5

• Society’s members must learn the boundaries of what is acceptable behaviour
• C+D shows members where boundaries of right and wrong are, through public condemndation and punishment
• Any deviance must be identified and punished by agencies of social control

Question 6

What does Erikson say about crime and deviance?

Answer 6

• All community members participate in confrontations with a deviant, who transgresses the boundaries (i.e. public degradation ceremonies- public trial/media coverage)
• Decline of public punishment with the development of newspapers (+ radio, TV, social media= role of condemners)
• Boundaries are always shifting and changes may occur
• Deviance help society progress, as it shows when anew value consensus emerges

Question 7

What does Eisenstadt say about crime and deviance?

Answer 7

• Youths commit crime and deviance as a means of letting of steam and releasing tensions
• Small amounts are acceptable, as it reinforces boundaries, norms and values of society, therefore preventing worse crime and deviance

Question 8

What did Davis say about crime and deviance?

Answer 8

• Study of prostitution suggests goals of sexual behaviour in men are not inherently social but that societies need to restrict morally acceptable expressions of sexuality to the family context
• Prostitution= safe outlet for sexual tension
• Deviance= safety valve, let off steam

Question 9

Evaluating Durkheim

Answer 9

• Influential ideas, applied to real life examples
• Did NOT explain why individuals commit crime, why some do so more than others and why different people are deviant in different ways
• No consideration of negative effects of deviance on individuals

Question 10

Evaluating Merton

Answer 10

• Financial success is not the only goal, there are many others reasons for deviance, deviancy could fall into more than one category
• Taylor- slot machine analogy:
• Conformists play and win fairly, innovators cheat, ritualists play mindlessly, retreatists give up, rebels play a different game
• Taylor- Merton does not ask important questions of: who put the machine there in the first place? who’s keeping the profits?