functionalist strain & subcultural theories

Question 1

Durkheim - boundary maintenance

Answer 1

crime allows society to reinforce what is acceptable behaviour in society as the public nature of the punishment shows people what will happen for breaking the rules

Question 2

Durkheim - social cohesion

Answer 2

serious crimes can alos lead to society coming together to condemn the perpetrators

Question 3

Durkheim - adaptation and change

Answer 3

some social deviance is necessary to allow society to move forward and progress, without some deviant and criminal behaviour, society will become stagnant and die

Question 4

Clinard / Cohen - warning sign

Answer 4

an increase in a certain type of crime or deviant behaviour can be an indication that something in society is not functioning as it should be and change needs to occur

Question 5

Davis / Polsky - safety valve

Answer 5

some minor crimes and acts of deviancy can actually prevent larger more serious crimes. e.g men watching pornography can prevemt more serious sexual crimes

Question 6

evaluation of functionalism

Answer 6

• ignores the impact that crime has on individuals
• doesn’t quantify how much crime is beneficial
• crime doesn’t always lead to solidarity
• ignores the role that the powerful have in shaping what is criminal and deviant

Question 7

Cohen - status frustration

Answer 7

young people get frustrated by their inability to achieve social goals which lead to status so turn to crime to achieve status

Question 8

criticism of cohen

Answer 8

• willis > w/c boys do not share the same ideas of status at m/c boys
• ignores female delinquency
  only discusses youth crime

Question 9

Cloward & Ohlin - criminal subculture

Answer 9

socialise young people into criminal activity

Question 10

Cloward & Ohlin - conflict subcultures

Answer 10

little social cohesion and violence in the area - encourages gangs and knife crime

Question 11

Cloward & Ohlin - retreatist subculture

Answer 11

those who fail to gain access into the other two subcultures - homeless, drug addicts

Question 12

criticisms of cloward and ohlin

Answer 12

• assumes the offical stats on crime are accurate
• over exaggeration of crime opportunities available to the young

Question 13

Miller - focal concerns

Answer 13

w/c have a different set of values or focal concerns to the rest of society which include hyper masculinity which can lead to criminal behaviour appearing more normal

Question 14

criticisms of miller

Answer 14

• not all w/c are criminals
• matza > subculture membership is often short lived

Question 15

Merton - strain theory

Answer 15

believed that crime is a response to the strain placed on people to achieve the goals and values of society

Question 16

Innovation

Answer 16

accepting the gaols set out and agreed by society but choosing alternative means to achieve them

Question 17

criticisms of merton’s strain theory

Answer 17

• over exaggerates the importance if monetary success
• underestimates the amount of crime committed by those who have achieved societal goals
  -doesn’t explain why groups chose the groups they do
• fails to explain non-utilitarian crimes

Question 18

Hirschi - control theory

Answer 18

strong bonds with society stops people from committing crime

Question 19

criticisms of hirschi

Answer 19

• assumes all people are naturally bad and it is society that keeps people good
• doesn’t explain why the bonds are weak or strong, or how they became so