Functionalist Theories on Crime

Question 1

general functionalist view on crime

Answer 1

crime is inevitable and can be beneficial.

Question 2

Durkheim - Boundary Maintenance

Answer 2

crime produces reaction

unifies society - members come against criminal e.g James Bulger
reinforces shared norms and values amongst members

role of punishment - reaffirm societies shared rules
courts - dramatises wrong doing, publicly stigmatise offender, prevent rule breaking

Question 3

Durkheim - Adaption and Change

Answer 3

change starts with deviance.

social deviance necessary to allow progression of society

without it society would stagnate and die

e.g homosexuality

Question 4

Davis - Safety Valve

Answer 4

minor crimes act as a release of stress, prevents larger crime

e.g prostitution prevents more serious sexual crimes

Question 5

Cohen - Warning Device

Answer 5

an increase in a specific type of deviance or crime, can indicate a serious issue in society ,, highlighting need for change

e.g knife crime or theft

Question 6

Durkheim - Anomie

Answer 6

state of normlessness

cause of deviance - if individuals aren’t socialised properly, or lack of clarity on norms/values then its more likely.

Question 7

Merton - Strain Theory

Answer 7

Developed on Anomie
Deviance = consequence of a strain between our goals and goals of society - 5 Ways of dealing
1. Conformity - continue to accept
2. Innovation - find alternative ways of success
3. Ritualism -
4. Retreatism - drop out from society
5. Rebellion - reject rules and norms, replace with new ones

Question 8

Cohen - Status Frustration

Answer 8

alternative status hierarchy created, since w/c cant succeed in m/c world.

achieve status illegitimately - e.g gang crime

Question 9

Miller - Working Class Subculture

Answer 9

lower classes have their own different culture and values - 4 focal concerns

1. toughness > reject timidity to maintain reputation
2. smartness > street smart, capacity to outsmart/outwit
3. excitement > search for thrills
4. fate > little can be done about their lived

Question 10

Cloward and Ohlin - Three Subcultures

Answer 10

focused on people’s opportunities to be deviant

1. Criminal Subcultures > provide learning environment for young criminals, learn from role models
2. Conflict Subcultures > commit violent crime to release frustrations
3. Retreatist Subcultures > failure to achieve in legal and illegal structures e.g drug use

Question 11

Matza - Subterranean Values and Drift

Answer 11

we have subterranean values > seen through fact we try to justify behaviour

able to suppress delinquent behaviours > changes throughout life - drift between deviance and conformity

Question 12

Matza - Subterranean Values and Drift

Answer 12

we have subterranean values > seen through fact we try to justify behaviour

able to suppress delinquent behaviours > changes throughout life - drift between deviance and conformity