Functionalist, Strain and Subcultural Theories Flashcards
What does Durkheim say about the inevitability of crime
In any society, some individuals will be inadequately socialised and prone to deviation
In modern societies there is high specialisation and diversity of subcultures. This blurs rules of
behaviour, creating anomie and crime
what does Durkheim say about boundary maintenance + Cohen view
Crime produces a reaction from society, uniting members
Punishment reaffirms shared rules and reinforces solidarity
E.g. public punishment
Cohen – The media creates ‘folk devils’ to fulfil this purpose
Davis view
Davis agrees with Durkheim in that crime can be positive, but in a different way. He believes prostitution provides positive functions because it allows men to express sexual frustration without threatening the nuclear family.
Cohen status frustration theory
Cohen’s ‘status frustration’ theory focuses on working-class boys in schools who fail to succeed in middle-class environments, and in turn, form delinquent subcultures that go against middle-class norms and values. Subsequently, working-class boys try to succeed within subcultures by trying to rise in the hierarchy, which they have more chance of succeeding in. This explains why people commit non-utilitarian crimes.
Criticisms of Durkheim’s view
- Functionalist theory assumes crime is beneficial for society without acknowledging the effect on
individual victims
Doesn’t explain what the right amount of deviance is
Just because crime creates social solidarity, it doesn’t mean that’s why it exists in the first place
Merton’s view
Merton’s ‘strain theory’ states that crime is caused by the failure to achieve the goals of the American dream through legitimate means. In his theory there are five different responses to the American Dream:
Conformism - accepting the goals and legitimate means to achieve them
Innovation - subscribe to the goals of the American dream but use illegitimate means to achieve them
Ritualism - reject the goals but conform to the means
Retreatism - reject both the goals of the American dream and subscribe to illegitimate means
Rebellion - replace the goals and means with their own
Strengths and weaknesses of Merton’s view
Strengths
Explains statistical patterns
o Most crime is property crime
o Working class crime rate is higher
Weaknesses
Deterministic
Does not explain state crime
Feminism: Women are put under more strain and have fewer means to success but commit less
crime
Marxism: Ignores the fact that the rich are not criminalised as much
Cloward and Ohlin view
Cloward and Ohlin develop Cohen’s status frustration theory by suggesting there are 3 types of subcultures:
Criminal subcultures provide ‘apprenticeships’ for utilitarian crime. They exist in areas with stable criminal cultures, with hierarchies of professional criminals (e.g. drug dealers).
Conflict subcultures exist in areas of high population turnover. There is social disorganisation and only loosely organised gangs (e.g. postcode/turf wars).
Retreatist subcultures are formed of people who fail in both legitimate AND illegitimate means and may turn to illegal drug use (e.g. ‘junkies’).
