functionalist, strain and subcultural theories Flashcards
Durkheim - crime as inevitable AO1
sees crime as inevitable and universal
crime is normal and an important part of healthy societies
Durkheim - 2 reasons why crime is found in all societies AO1
- not everyone is effectively socialised
- there’s a diversity of lifestyles - different groups form subcultures and they construct they own norms and values
Durkheim - 2 positive functions of crime AO1
- boundary maintenance
- adaption and change
Durkheim - 2 positive functions of crime - 1. boundary maintenance
crime produces a reaction from society and reinforces their commitment to the shared norms
the purpose of punishment is to reaffirm societies shared rules and social solidarity
Durkheim - 2 positive functions of crime - 2. adaption and change
all change starts with an act of deviance individuals with new ideas mustn’t be put off by the weight of social control - there must be some scope to challenge and change existing norms
at first, this change will appear as deviance
Durkheim - high/ low levels of crime and their meanings
neither high nor low is desirable
high = threats to tear the bonds of society
little = society is repressing and controlling
Durkheim - other functions of crime - Cohen
another function of deviance is a warning - that society isn’t functioning properly
Durkheim AO3 - functional for whom?
it ignores how it might affects different groups or individuals within society
Durkheim AO3 - how much is too much?
it says a certain amount of deviance is necessary but fails to say how much is the right amount
Durkheim AO2
Davis: prostitution acts as a safety valve for men to release sexual frustrations
merton - strain theory - what is it? AO1
people engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means
merton strain theory - deviance is a result of a strain between 2 things: AO1
- the goals that a culture encourages
- what the institutional structure allows them to achieve legitimately
merton strain theory - the American dream AO2
the ideology of the AD say that society is meritocratic and this who make the effort will get ahead
however, many disadvantaged groups are denied the opportunities to achieve legitimately
merton strain theory - adaptions to the strain examples (2)
rebellion = cultural goals and legitimate means are rejected
individuals create their own goals and their own means
conformity - individual accepts the culturally approved goals and aims to achieve them legitimately
merton strain theory - AO3 - deterministic
too deterministic
the WC experience the most strain and pressure yet they don’t all deviate
merton strain theory AO3 - value consensus
it assumes that there is a value consensus that everyone strives for utilitarian success
subcultural strain theory - what is it? Ao1
deviance is a product of a delinquent subculture with different values from mainstream society
subcultures provide alternative structure for those who are denied the chance to achieve by legitimate means
subcultural strain theory - Cohen’s status frustration AO1
WC boys have cultural deprivation and lack the skills to achieve by legitimate means so they suffer staus frustration
resolve this by rejecting mainstream MC values and inverts them in their own delinquent subculture
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subcultural strain theory - Cohen’s status frustration - AO3 - explanation of non-utilitarian
It offers an explanation of non-utilitarian crime so can help to explain non-economic deviance
subcultural strain theory - Cohen’s status frustration - AO3 - WC have MC goals
assumes that all WC boys start off with sharing MC goals only to reject these when they fails
paragraph 2 - subcultural strain theories - Cloward and Ohlin Ao1
different subcultures respond differently to the lack of legitimate opportunities
there isnt just unequal access to legitimate opportunities but also illegitimate
identifies 3 subcultures
1. criminal
2. conflict
3. retreatist
paragraph 2 - subcultural strain theories - Cloward and Ohlin - 3 subcultures
- criminal
- conflict
- retreatist
paragraph 2 - subcultural strain theories - Cloward and Ohlin - 3 subcultures - criminal
Provide youth with an apprenticeship for a career in crime
Association with adult criminals provides the young with training and role models and opportunities ties to climb the criminal career ladder
paragraph 2 - subcultural strain theories - Cloward and Ohlin - 3 subcultures - conflict subcultures
Areas of high population turnover
High levels of social disorganisation and prevents a stable criminal network
Th only illegitimate opportunities are available within loosely organised gangs
In these, violence provides a release for men’s frustration
paragraph 2 - subcultural strain theories - Cloward and Ohlin - 3 subcultures - retreatist subculture
Any neighbourhood
Not everyone who aspires to have a professional criminal career succeeds
These ‘double failures’ turn to illegal drug use
paragraph 2 - subcultural strain theories - Cloward and Ohlin - AO2 - Sutherland
Differential association theory
Sutherland
Deviance was behaviour learned through social interaction with others who are deviant
Learning criminal values and skills
paragraph 2 - subcultural strain theories - Cloward and Ohlin - AO3 - Miller, separate subculture
Miller - lower class has its own independent subculture separate from the mainstream culture
This subculture does not value success in the first place so its members are not frustrated by failure
Deviance arises out of an attempt to achieve their own goals
paragraph 2 - subcultural strain theories - Cloward and Ohlin - AO3 - Matza, not committed
Matza - most delinquents are not strongly committed to their subculture but merely drift in and out of delinquency
