Functionalist, Strain And Subcultural Theories Flashcards
What does Durkheim argue? And what are his 4 characteristics of crime?
Functionalists argue that crime is inevitable and universal.
Durkheim argues that crime is a part of all healthy societies.
He argued there was four characteristics of crime.
Crime is universal meaning crime exists in every society.
Crime is inevitable meaning crime will always exist.
Crime is relative meaning crime is a social construct.
Crime is functional meaning that little crime is beneficial for society as it actually strengthens bonds between individuals.
What is the functionalist theory?
The functionalist theory is based on a value consensus.
Thus meaning members share a common culture and belief which brings about social cohesion which binds individuals together.
Although to achieve this solidarity society must have two mechanisms.
Socialisation to ensure members share norms and values and act the way society requires and Social Control which includes both positive and negative sanctions for deviance.
What are the criticisms of Durkheim’s theory of crime and deviance?
Durkheim claims society requires a certain amount of crime however doesn’t explain how much is enough.
He also assumes crime performs positive functions however ignores how it may affect individuals.
What does the Strain Theory argue?
The strain theory argues that deviance occurs when people cannot achieve societies goals by legitimate means.
What is Merton’s Strain Theory?
Merton argues that types of crime exist because of the American Dream which is to be rich, successful and have a family.
However not everybody can achieve this lawfully.
Therefore a strain starts to occur between a goal culture encourages to aim for and what the structure of society allows them to achieve legitimately.
What are Merton’s 5 adaptations of anomie?
Individuals place in society affects the way they adapt to the strain of anomie.
The 5 adaptations are:
Conformity
Innovation: in other words life of crime/w-class
Ritualism
Retreatism: in other words drop outs/addicts
Rebellion
What are A.K.Cohen’s criticisms of Merton?
Merton focuses on individuals response too much ignoring group deviance of delinquent subcultures.
He also focuses too much on utilitarian crime such as theft for material gain ignoring non utilitarian crime such as vandalism which may have no economic motive.
What does the Subcultural theory argue?
Subcultural theorists see deviance as a collective rather than individual response and also cover non-utilitarian crime.
What is A.K Cohen theory about status frustration about?
He notes that working class boys face anomie in middle class education system. They are culturally deprived and lack skills to achieve as a result of this they suffer from status frustration. They resolve this by rejecting mainstream middle class values and turn to others in the same situation and create a subculture.
What is A.K Cohen theory about status frustration about? (Continued…)
Cohen begins to explain non-utilitarian crime unlike Merton.
A subculture offers illegitimate opportunity structure for boys who have failed legitimately.
It provides an alternative hierarchy where you can win status through delinquent actions.
“What society praises, the subculture condemns”
What did the sociologists Cloward and Ohlin argue?
They argued that not everybody adapts to the lack of legitimate opportunities by turning to innovation (utilitarian crime) some may turn to drug use or resort to violence.
What is a criminal subculture?
Criminal subcultures provide youths with apprenticeships in utilitarian crime.
They arise in neighbourhoods with long standing and stable criminal culture.
Adults select and train youths and provide them with opportunities on the criminal career ladder.
What is a conflict subculture?
Conflict subcultures arise in areas with large populations where they prevent criminal networks from developing.
However there are illegitimate opportunities with loosely organised gangs.
Violence tends to provide a release of frustration and an alternative source of status.
What is a retreatist subculture?
Retreatist subculture is for those double failures who fail in both legitimate and illegitimate structures.
Therefore they turn to retreatist ‘drop out’ subculture based on illegal drug use.
Give me an evaluation of Cloward and Ohlin’s theory?
They over predict working class crime.
There theory is a reactive one, meaning it’s all about an individuals reaction to failure.
They draw boundaries too sharply, as an individual could be placed in more than one subculture.
