Functionalist, strain and subcultural theories - done

Question 1

what are the different theories under functionalist strain and subcultural theories

Answer 1

Durkheim’s functionalist theory
Merton’s strain theory
subcultural strain theories

Question 2

Durkheim’s functionalist theory points

Answer 2

inevitability of crime
positive functions of crime

Question 3

functionalist view

Answer 3

sees society as based on value consensus - its members share a common culture - this produces social solidarity and binds people together.

Question 4

how can social solidarity be achieved

Answer 4

socialisation - instils the shared culture into its members
social control - mechanisms that include rewards for conformity and punishment for deviance

Question 5

inevitability of crime

Answer 5

functionalist - every known society has some level of crime - durkheim ‘crime is normal, an integrated part of all healthy societies
- crime is because not everyone is equally and effectively socialized
- crime is because there is a diversity in lifestyles and values - what they may see as normal in their cultures others in mainstream societies may see as deviant
because of society’s complex specialized division of labor, everyone has very different skills so in turn weakens share culture or shared consciousness and results in higher levels of deviance

Question 6

the positive functions of crime

Answer 6

boundary maintenance - it unites it members in condemnation of the wrongdoers and reinforcing their commitment to the shared values and norms. punishment reinforces social solidarity rather than to remove crime or make criminals suffer. public shaming in courts discourages crime

adaptation and change - crime allows change to happen in society, it acts as a way of sharing new ideas values and ways of living

too much crime threatens to tear the bonds of society and too little means society is repressing it members too much

Question 7

other functions of crime

Answer 7

• prostitution allows men to release sexual frustration without damaging nuclear family - Davis
• deviance is a warning that an institution is not functioning properly
• Erikson - society maybe be organised to promote deviance as it is claimed to have positive effects on society

Question 8

criticisms

Answer 8

• Durkheim doesn’t actually express how much deviance is actually good for society
• they see crime as its supposed function but ignores that crime may not have the intention of strengthening solidarity
• functionalism ignores hoe crime might effect different groups or individuals in society
• crime doesn’t always promote solidarity

Question 9

mertons strain theory

Answer 9

people commit crimes when unable to achieve approved goals
structural factors - societies’ unequal opportunity structure
cultural factors - the strong emphasis on success goals and the weaker emphasis on using legitimate means to achieve them

deviance occurs because of 2 things -the goals encouraged and what society actually allows

Question 10

the American dream

Answer 10

• expected to achieve this through legitimate means or hard work
• meritocratic view - anyone can achieve
• many disadvantaged groups are denied opportunities, the strain that arises causes illegitimate means of succeeding - Merton’s ‘pressure to deviate’ worsened by the ideology to succeed at all costs

Question 11

deviant adaptations

Answer 11

conformity - m/c, accept goals, and have legitimate means - Merton’s typical response of Americans
innovation - accept goals but illegitimate means, w/c
ritualism - follow legit means for own sake but reject goals - lower m/c
retreatism - reject both goals and legit means - dropouts, junkies
rebellion - create your own goals to replace new ones - hippies

Question 12

subcultural strain theories

Answer 12

• deviance is the result of subcultures with different values to the mainstream ones - they provide opportunities for those who are denied legit ones (w/c)
• subcultures are a solution to a problem that is functional for their members if not wider society.

Question 13

A.K. Cohen: status frustration

Answer 13

deviance is a because of the lower class and their inability to achieve mainstream goals through legit means
cohen criticizes merton on 2 things
- most crime is committed in groups rather than individually
- he focuses on utilitarian crime rather than assault or vandalism

w/c boys face anomie and cult deprivation - lack skills to achieve - they are at bottom of status hierarchy - since legit ways arent possible they join delinquent subcultures through frustration.

Question 14

alternative status hierarchy

Answer 14

the subcultures w/c boys join have opposite values to mainstream society - instead of attendance at school, they value vandalism - a form of achieving through illegitimate ways - to win status from peers.

• cohen helps explain non-utilitarian crime through status frustration, alternative status hierarchy, and value inversion. however, he assumes that w/c boys start off with m/c values and that they reject it when they fail and ignore the fact they may never have had these goals.

Question 15

Cloward and Ohlin: three subcultures

Answer 15

w/c boys deviance stems from lack of opportunities to achieve but not everyone reacts the same way however they argue that this could be because not everyone has the same illegitimate opportunities to fall back on. different neighborhoods provide different subcultures.
- criminal subc - apprenticeship for utilitarian crime - longstanding criminal neighborhoods - these professionals can help teach the young how to have successful criminal careers
- conflict subc - high population areas, disorganized criminal system, illegitimate opportunities in crappy gangs - violence through getting turf is how they release frustration
- retreatist subc - illegal drug use as failure in both legit and illegitimate cultures