functionalist theory Flashcards
how do functionalists view crime?
They see too much crime as a threat of destabilising society however they see crime as inevitable and universal.
what did Durkheim say about crime.
“crime is normal… an integral part of a healthy society”
also that every known society has some level of crime and a crime free society is a contradiction of terms.
what is one reason why crime is universal?
one reason is because not everyone is socialised properly to have the standard norms of society leading to some people being more prone to commiting crime
what was Durkheim’s view on normlessness
otherwise known as anomie this is when the rules governing society are less clear cut. leading to a lack of shared culture within society. resulting in higher levels of deviance
what is boundary maintenance?
crime produces a reaction from society, uniting its members in condemnation of the wrong doer and reinforcing their commitment to the shared norms and values.
- this then explains the function of punishment within society claims Durkheim.
what do functionalists say about crime and adaption and change?
They say that deviance is used to challenge and change existing norms within society. These people are there since there values, ideas and way of living are all different.
What did albert cohen say about crime
Cohen spoke abut how another function of deviance is a warning that an institution is not functioning properly.
What is safety valve theory
This is people committing smaller and lesser acts of deviance as a way of releasing frustration so they don’t commit bigger crimes
What are some evaluations of functionalist theory
- Contemporary example illustrate the legacy of durkhiems view of the impact
- difficult to measure optimal amount of crime
- little explanation
What did Durkheim say about the level of crime
There is an optimal level of crime where it doesn’t threaten to tear down societies norms and values but happens to challenge current society as to stop it from stagnating
