Functionalist Theories Of Crime And Deviance Flashcards
A structural theory of crime
Argues that the source of crime is located in the structure of society. Believed that crime and deviance can be explained by looking at the way society is organised. Not individuals being evil
A consensus theory of crime and deviance
Claim that social order and cohesion are based on value consensus. Seek to protect this by controlling the threat posted by crime and deviance
Durkheim: anomie is the cause of crimes
Argued that when there is an anomie crime occurs. Breakdown in shared traditional values.
Moral uncertainty and confusion resulting in more crime
Durkheim: crime is functional. Occurs because it serves a purpose in society.argued crime has 4 functions
Enables social change
Boundary maintenance-what’s right and wrong
Social cohesion- bringing diverse groups together
Early warning device-act as a warning to social problems
Davis & polosky: crime as a safety valve
Low level crime allows people to relieve stress without causing any real social harm.
Prostitution allows men to relieve sexual frustration’s
Porn safely channels a variety of sexual desires away from alternatives
Evaluation of Durkheim
Ignores impact on individuals with crimes such as murder & rape
Reactions to crime can cause further crimes
Marxists argue that crime is caused by capitalist views of greed and inequality
Crime as a response to strain: metron
Everyone in society has shared goals created by society. Understanding why people from certain groups commit more crime than others
Merton: conformists
People who accept the shared goals of financial success and use accepted means to achieve them
metron: innovators
People who accept the shared goals of financial success, but cannot access the legitimate means so turn to illegitimate means instead.
metron: ritualists
People who do not believe they can achieve the shared goals, but continue to work anyway. They lack motivation and aspiration and are just ‘going through the motions’.
metron: rebels
People who reject the financial goal of wealth and create new goals instead. They also create new means of achieving them
metron: retreatists
People who reject the goals and the means of achieving them and completely isolate themselves from mainstream society
evaluation of metron
Merton’s work shows the capitalist social structure as the cause of crime as a result of the cultural emphasis on material success (YOUNG 2007).
However, Box (Marxist) claims that Merton fails to acknowledge that the powerful benefit from the capitalist system and, in particular, the laws that underpin it.
Focuses on Utilitarian (valuable) crimes and does not explain why people choose to respond as they do
