Functionalist Theory on Crime

Question 1

What are the 4 characteristics of crime according to Durkheim?

Answer 1

Inevitable - it will always exist, it can be reduced, but not eliminated.
Universal - it exists in every society.
Relative - what seen as criminal behaviour varies from society to society over time.
Function - a limited amount of crime can benefit because experinece of crime can strengthen bonds.

Question 2

Why does crime exist according to Durkheim?

Answer 2

1. Not everyone is effectively socialised into shared norms and values - prone to deviate.
2. There is a diversity of lifestyles and values - different groups have different norms and values, what members see as normal is different. Mainsteam culture may seem deviant.

Question 3

What are the functions of crime?

Answer 3

Boundary Maintenance
Adaptation and Change
Safety Valve
Warning Device
Social Cohesion

Question 4

What is boundary maintenance? (Durkheim)

Answer 4

Limited amount of crime is necessary - claifies boundaries of what is acceptable and necessary. Degrading ceremones in courtrooms - when a person breaks the law they are taken to court, publicity of this reaffrims the exisiting values.

Question 5

What is adaptation and change? (Durkheim)

Answer 5

All change starts with an act of deviance. Individuals with new ideas, values and ways of living must be able to challenge existing norms and values - allow society to make necessary adaptive changes.

Question 6

What is safety valve? (Durkheim)

Answer 6

Prostitution acts as a safety valve to release men’s sexual fustration without threatening the monogamous nuclear family.

Question 7

What is a warning device? (Durkheim)

Answer 7

Warns that an institution is not functioning properly. High rates of truancy - suggests that there are problems with the education system - needs to change.

Question 8

What is social cohesion? (Durkheim)

Answer 8

When horrifc crime have been committed, community draws together, sense of belonging to a commmunity is strengthened, e.g. 9/11, 7/7

Question 9

How does society regulate deviance according to Durkheim?

Answer 9

Societies regulate deviance through carnivals, festivals,etc. Young are given a leeway - offer a way to coping with the strains of transition from childhood to adulthood.

Question 10

What is the evaluation of Durkheim’s theory on crime?

Answer 10

Doesn’t say how much deviance is enough.
Crime does not always promote solidarity - people become more isolated, women stay indoors as they fear attacks.
Looks at the function of crime but ignores how it might affect different groups or individuals in society.

Question 11

Why does crime exist according to Merton?

Answer 11

Crime exists - pressure to achieve the American Dream. Not all have the legitimate means to achieve it - results in strain - between ambition and ability to achieve it. People are forced to turn to illegitmste means to achieve there goals.

Question 12

What are the ways that people react to the pressure to achieve the American Dream? (Merton)

Answer 12

Conformity
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreatism
Rebellion

Question 13

What is conformity? (Merton)

Answer 13

Majority, achieve American Dream theough legitimate, meritocratic means - school, etc.

Question 14

What is innovation? (Merton)

Answer 14

Illegal means to achieve the American Dream, breaking the law, e.g drug dealing, robbery.

Question 15

What is ritualism? (Merton)

Answer 15

Deviant, but not crimnal, giving up on trying to achieve the American Dream.

Question 16

What is retreatism? (Merton)

Answer 16

Give up on the American Dream, turn to alcohol and drugs.

Question 17

What is rebellion? (Merton)

Answer 17

Criminal response - trying to replace the American Dream with another set of values e.g. terrorism.

Question 18

What is the evaluation of Merton’s theory on crime?

Answer 18

Deterministic - w/c face most strain, not all of them turn to crime.
Fails to explain group criminality.
Assume m/c won’t commit crime - fail to explain white collar crimes.

Question 19

According to A.Cohen who is the most likely to be criminal? + Why?

Answer 19

Delinquent behaviour is most likely to develop among w/c boys - do bad at school. They know they can’t achieve success through education as w/c vlaues are different to m/c values promoted in schools.

Question 20

What of w/c boys suffer and turn to according to A.Cohen?

Answer 20

Suffer status fustration - anger and resentment because aspiration are blocked. To achieve success and status they form subcultures leads to crime and vandalism.

Question 21

What do subculture offer w/c boys? (A.Cohen)

Answer 21

Subcultures invert mainstream values. Subcultures offer illegitimate opportunity structures - through which they can achieve the alternative status hierarchy.

Question 22

What is the evalutation of A.Cohen’s theory on deviance?

Answer 22

Ignores girl gangs, m/c crime, white collar crime.
Assumes all subcultures are the same.
Assumes w/c boys start of with m/c success goals, then reject them when they fail, possible they did not share these values.

Question 23

What is Cloward and Ohlin’s theory on crime?

Answer 23

Different subcultures offer different illegitimate opportunity structures to achieve the American Dream. Whether they have access to the illegitimate opportunity structures depend on the neighbourhood they live in.

Question 24

What is the criminal subculture? (Cloward and Ohlin)

Answer 24

High population, stable w/c areas, with developed criminal culture where status is gained through crime committed for financial gain. Have trust with each other, socialise younger ones.

Question 25

What is the conflict subculture? (Cloward and Ohlin)

Answer 25

Develop in high poulation turnover areas, no established criminal subculture, may achieve staus but not American Dream. Subculture forms due to fustration - loosely organised gangs - street fights, violence.

Question 26

What is retreatist behaviour? (Cloward and Ohlin)

Answer 26

Any neighbourhood, aspire to be criminals - join subcultures but no knowledge - start taking drugs and alcohol - double failure.

Question 27

What is the evalutation of Cloward and Ohlin’s theory on crime?

Answer 27

Ignore m/c crime.

Ignore overlaps between the 3 subcultures.

Question 28

What does Miller say about the w/c?

Answer 28

W/c had its own subculture independent from mainstream. W/c commit crime - passed on from generations. W/c - get into trouble because they hold a different set of values to the rest of society.

Question 29

What are w/c values? (Miller)

Answer 29

Values are called focal concerns - employed in repetitve, boring, dead end jobs.
Smartness (look good, witty), excitement (thrill-seeking), toughness (physical strength), autonomy (not controlled by others), fatalism (what will be, will be.

Question 30

What is the problem with w/c values? (Miller)

Answer 30

Nauture of values - lead to crime. W/c have their own set of goals, not American Dream.

Question 31

What does Matza argue about members of subcultures?

Answer 31

Members of subcultures are not fully committed to the values of their subcultures.

Question 32

What are the 2 tyes of values according to Matza?

Answer 32

There are mainstream values (held by all) and the parallel are subterrean values (deviant shared by all). Only emerge occassionally - after a night out drinking.

Question 33

What does Matza argue about most delinquents?

Answer 33

Drift in and out of delinquency.

Question 34

What are techniques of neutralisation? (Matza)

Answer 34

1. Denial of responsibility - ‘it wasn’t me, it was the drugs.’
2. Denial of victim - ‘asking for it’
3. Denial of injury - vitcime not really hurt of harmed.
4. Condemnationof condemners - offers sense of unfariness for being picked on.
5. Appeal to higher loyalty - claim rule of law had to be ignored - more important issues - ‘standing up for family’