functionalist, strain and subcultural theories - topic 1

Question 1

durkheims functionalist theory - inevitably of crime

Answer 1

crime is inevitable because of 2 reasons
1 not everyone is equally and effectively socialised into shared norms and values
2 diversions of lifestyle and values, so diff groups develop their own subculture
modern soc has a complex division of labour so individuals increase in differences from one another therefore weakening the shared culture and collective conscience

Question 2

durkheims functional theory - boundary maintenance

Answer 2

crime produced is a reaction from soc
the function of punishment is to reaffirm society’s shared values and reinforce social solidarity
reaffirm the values of the law abiding majority and discourage others from rule breaking

Question 3

durkheims functionalist theory - adaptation and change

Answer 3

all change starts with an act of deviance
1 too much crime threatens to tear the bonds of society apart
2 too little crime means society is repressed and member r being controlled too much which stifles the individuals freedom and prevents change

Question 4

durkheims functionalist theory - other functions of crime (davis, polsky, cohen)

Answer 4

davis; prostitution acts as a safety valve 4 release of men’s frustration w/o threatening thr nuclear family
polsky; pornography safely ‘channels’ sexual desires away from alternative acts such as adulterer which could threaten the family
cohen; deviance acts as a warning that the institutions r not functioning properly - policies need to be changed

Question 5

functionalist evaluation

Answer 5

1 fails 2 identify how much crime is too much crime so not clear when anomie begins
2 don’t explain how crime develops in the first place
3 ign that cr does not benefit the victim

Question 6

mertons strain theory

Answer 6

1 American culture promotes the American dream but some people are not able to achieve the American dream due to a lack of opportunities as a result of inequality
2 most people have been socialised to believe that meritocracy is fair and success is a good goal to have
3 but not all people can achieve this in the same way which leads to the feeling of strain

Question 7

what are mertons five responses to strain

Answer 7

1 conformity - accept goals and strive to do them legitimately
2 innovation - accept goals and strive to do them but illegitimately
3 ritualise - indiv gives up on trying to achieve goals but follows rules 4 own sake
4 rebellion - indiv rej goals and want to replace them w new ones to bring about revolutionary change
5 retreatism - indiv rej b goals/legitimate means so become drop outs of soc

Question 8

evaluation of merton

Answer 8

1 takes OS at face value wh over rep the w/c cr so merton sees cr as a w/c phenomenon
2 marxists; he ign power of ruling class 2 make/enforce laws in ways that criminalise the poor not rich
3 assumes there’s a value consensus and that everyone strives for monetary success which ignores the possibility that many may not share that goal in the first place
4 only accounts for utilitarian crime 4 money not violent crime

Question 9

travis hirschi - bonds of attachment

Answer 9

explains why maj people are law abiding citizens who don’t commit crimes bec of their bonds of attachment
1 attachment - how much we care about what others think
2 commitment - what have we got to lose
3 involvement - how involved are we with society
4 belief - to what extent do we believe obeying the law is the right thing to do

Question 10

what is a sub cultural strain theory

Answer 10

theories sees deviance as a product of delinquent subcultures with different values from those of mainstream society

Question 11

what does cohen critique merton on

Answer 11

1 merton sees deviance as an individual response to strain and ignores group crime, esp among young
2 merton focuses on utilitarian crime and ign those w no economic motive ie. vandalism/assault

Question 12

cohen status frustration - subcultural strain theory

Answer 12

1 cohen focuses on deviance in w/c bs who face anomie in m/c dominanted education sys and suff fr cultural deprivation and lack of skills
2 leaves them at bottom of status hierarchy and so suffer status fust from given the low status given by mainstream soc
3 resolution is to rej mainstream m/c values and turn to others in the same situ forming delinquent subculture

Question 13

cohen - alternative status hierarchy

Answer 13

1 delinquent subcultures invert values of mainstream soc
2 whatever soc condemns the subcultures praise, ex respect 4 property they will vandalise
3 subc provi an alternative status hierarchy which they will be able to achieve
4 bs create their own illegitimate opportunity struct, wins status from peer thru delinquent acts
5 cohens theory explains non economic delinquency

Question 14

what is the criticism of cohens alternative status hierarchy

Answer 14

1 cohen assumes all w/c bs start off by sharing m/c success and goals and rej them when they fail he ign those who never shared them in the first place so never saw themselves as failures

Question 15

coward and ohlin - 3 subcultures

Answer 15

1 they note that not everyone adapts to situ by turning to innovation
2 there’s unequal access in illegitimate opportunities too
3 arg diff neighbourhoods prov diff illegitimate opportunities 4 young people 2 learn criminal skills

Question 16

clowned and ohlin - what are the 3 subcultures

Answer 16

1 criminal subculture - prov young people w apprenticeship 4 career in utilitarian crime in neighbourhoods w long-standing stable criminal culture w established criminal hierarchy, opport in career ladder

2 conflict subculture - arise in areas of high population, result in high lev of social disorganisation and only illeg opport in loosely organised gangs, violence provides release for bs frustration at blocked opportunities thru ex. turf wars

3 retreatist subculture - not everyone who aspires to be prof criminal acc succeeds these people r double failures and turn to retreatist subcultures based on illegal drug use

Question 17

evaluation of cloward and ohlin

Answer 17

1 ign cr of the wealthy and ign wider power structures
2 south found in drug trade there is a mixture of both disorganised and mafia style crimes which contradicts cloward and ohlins theory bec they arg u can only belong to 1 subculture
3 reactive’ theories b ign those who did not see value in success in the 1st place so are not frustrated by failure
4 matza claims most delinquents don’t strongly commit to their subculture b acc people drift in an out of delinquency

Question 18

recent strain theories - downes and hamsden

Answer 18

1 people are more likely to commit cr in capitalist sys
2 downes and hamsden; studied 18 countries and fou those with a welfare sys have a lower imprisonment rate as the l/c don’t need to resort to cr