Functionalist &Sub-culturalist Theories Of Crime & Deviance Flashcards
Which functionalist sociologist said crime was inevitable and beneficial?
Durkheim
Why did Durkheim think crime was inevitable?
- Not everyone is socialised adequately into norms and values.
- In complex societies there are subcultures with different norms and values.
What are Durkheim’s 2 functions of crime?
- Boundary maintenance
- Adaptation and change
What is boundary maintenance?
When society unites in disapproval of the criminal act and reinforces commitment to shared norms and values. Increases social solidarity.
What is adaptation & change?
When acts of deviance or crime forces society to adapt to new ways of thinking or new norms.
Which sociologist said crime acted as a safety valve?
Davis
What is the safety valve function?
Smaller acts of deviance are useful as they release frustration which prevents larger crimes from occurring.
Which sociologists said crime acted as a warning device?
Cohen
A criticism of the idea that crime is functional is…
Ignores the victims who don’t experience social solidarity.
What is utilitarian crime?
Crime for financial gain
What is non-utilitarian crime?
Crime that has no financial gain
What is relative deprivation
The idea that people feel they are lacking something compared with others in society.
Which sociologist came up with the strain theory?
Merton
Merton was a functionalist sociologist from which country?
USA
What did Merton mean by the American Dream?
The idea that anyone can rise to the top of the social ladder if they work hard enough
Which goals did Merton believed everyone in the USA shared?
Material wealth
High status
According to Merton, why did some people find it hard to reach society’s success goals?
Born into poverty
Discrimination
Who are innovators?
People who share society’s success goals, but cannot reach them legitimately so instead turn to utilitarian crime.
Can you name the other 4 of Merton’s adaptations to strain?
Conformists
Retreatists
Rebels
Ritualises
Name one important criticism of Merton
Doesn’t explain non-utilitarian crime
What is a subculture
A group of people who share norms, values and beliefs that are different from the majority culture.
Which sociologists said that working class boys join deviant subcultures?
Cohen
What is status frustration?
Anger and resentment at low status.
Why does Cohen say that working class boys join deviant subcultures?
Because they experience status frustration, and the other people in the subculture give them an alternative source of status & provides an opportunity to take revenge on society.
What two things can Cohen explain that Merton can’t
Non-utilitarian crime
Crimes committed by groups
What is value inversion?
Reversing society’s values
Identify one criticism of Cohen’s theory.
Ignores gender
Which sociologists state that there are three types of deviant subcultures?
Coward & Ohlin
What are the 3 deviant subcultures
- Criminal subcultures
- Conflict subcultures
- Retreatist subcultures
Cloward and Ohlin say that people join these deviant subcultures depending on…
The access / opportunities have to join them e.g. not everyone can be part of a criminal subculture.
The Italian American mafia is an examples of….
Criminal subculture
A street gang is an example of…
Conflict subculture
A group of drug addicts is an example of…
Retreatist subculture
One criticism of Cloward & Ohlin is
In reality, the subcultures often overlap
What is Miller’s theory called?
Focal concerns
What are focal concerns?
The values that working class boys are brought up to follow which make them more likely to commit crime.
Some examples of these values / focal concerns are…
Toughness, excitement, fate
One criticism of Millers theory is
Ignores middle class crime
One criticism of Millers theory is
Ignores middle class crime
