Functionalist view on crime Flashcards
Durkheim
Inevitability of crime:
-Crime is in inevitable and a result of not everyone being adequately socialised, meaning they haven’t learnt the norms and values
-In complex modern societies, there’s diversity which leads to differences in lifestyles and values + so people develop their own norms and values.
One positive function of crime according to Durkheim
Boundary maintenance:
-The punishment of crime is to reaffirm society’s shared rules + values through publicising the crime
-Reinforces social solidarity e.g. Ariana grande Manchester bombing concert
-Cohen (1972)- the media plays the role of ‘dramatisation of evil’, which often creates ‘folk devils’
Second positive function of crime according to durkheim
Adaptation + change:
-An act of deviance which challenges existing social norms and values + promotes a change e.g. Rosa parks whose action of refusing to move was seen as deviant but sparked a positive change
What signals malfunctioning of the social system?
-Too much crime threatens to tear the bonds of society apart
-Too little means that society is repressing and control its members, preventing change
One positive function of deviance according to Davis + Polsky
Safety valve:
-Devious acts such as prostitution acts as a safety valve in releasing men’s sexual frustrations without threatening the nuclear family
-Polsky- porn safely channels sexual desires away from committing adultery
One positive function of crime and deviance according to Cohen
Acts as a warning sign that the institution isn’t functioning properly
-Shows the govt what they need to improve on/change e.g. high levels of truancy suggests there are problems with the education system and policy changes need to be made
Merton (1938)
Strain theory:
-If people aren’t adequately socialised = don’t understand norms and values, they’ll be in a state of anomie.
-Crime is caused by inter-relationship between the cultural goals set up by society e.g. obtaining wealth + the means of achieving those goals
-They experience a strain from struggling to achieve the goals legitimately + turn to illegitimate means of achieving them e.g. crime.
The American dream: merton
-Americans are expected to pursue the goal set up by the system BUT doesn’t make it possible for all Americans
-Many are put at a disadvantage from achieving those goals legitimately e.g. poverty may block opportunities for the W/C—> frustration and pushes them towards using illegitimate means of achieving their goals.
What are conformists?
-Individuals who accept the goals approved by society + the legitimate ways of achieving them
What are innovators?
-Individuals who strive towards the same goals BUT find other illegitimate ways of achieving them e.g. commit utilitarian crime
What are ritualists?
-Individuals who have given up completely on the goals AND don’t want to resort to committing crime—> end up in low paid jobs that pay just enough
What are retreatists?
-Given up on everything BUT engage in deviant behaviour such as drugs
what are rebels?
-Reject societies goals + means of achieving them
-Set up their own goals and way of achieving them e.g. just stop oil
Cohen 1955
Status frustration:
-Argues that deviance is a result of W/C boys being unable to achieve status in the education system due to the school disapproving of their norms/values, what they do outside of school
-Results in them experiencing status frustration—> becoming polarised, rejected m/c values and forming delinquent subcultures
Alternative status hierarchy
Cohen:
-Delinquent subcultures inverts the values of mainstream society: praising what society condemns
-Subculture offers an alternative status hierarchy in which they can achieve status
-Boys create their own illegitimate method in which they can achieve status through their actions e.g. having lots of girls, committing crimes etc
-Aim is to reach the top of the hierarchy through achieving more status.
Three subcultures
Cloward + Ohlin:
-Different subcultures respond in different ways to the lack of legitimate opportunities
-Face unequal access to illegitimate opportunities
-Different neighbourhoods provide different illegitimate opportunities for young people to become criminals
Criminal subcultures
-Well established criminal organisations which provide youths with an “apprenticeship” for a career in utilitarian crime, e.g. county line trafficking
-Only arise in neighbourhoods with stable criminal culture w/ an established hierarchy of adult criminals who can provide training and teach the right abilities to develop a criminal career.
Conflict subcultures
-Usually occur in areas of high population turnover
-High levels of social disorganisation prevents a stable professional criminal network forming.
-Provides a release for young men’s frustration at their blocked opportunities, to achieve an alternative source of status by winning turf from rival gangs.
Retreatist subcultures
-Not everyone aspires to be a professional criminal, individuals who have fallen out of society
-Those who fail in achieving goals in legitimate and illegitimate ways, turn to illegal drug use
Evaluation of Cloward + Ohlin
-Ignore the wide power structure, those who make and enforce law
-South (2014)- they draw the boundaries too sharply, arguing that the drug trade is a mixture of all three subcultures, but their theory means it wouldn’t be possible to belong to more than one subculture.
Evaluation of Cohen
-Offers an explanation for non-utilitarian deviance
-Only focuses on working class boys
-Assumes working class boys share the same values as middle class boys
Evaluation of Durkheim
-Durkheim offers no guidance on how much crime + deviance is needed in order to allow society to function effectively
-Ignores how crime might affect individuals or groups within society
-Crime doesn’t always promote social solidarity—> may lead to people becoming more isolated in fear of becoming a victim to crime.
Evaluation of Merton
-Only explains why utilitarian crime is committed rather than violent or state crimes like genocide.
-Assumes every individuals goal is money + becoming wealthy
-Ignores the role of group deviance e.g. delinquent subcultures
-Deterministic- not all W/C will deviate bc they experience a strain.
-Doesn’t consider other peoples individual motives for committing crimes e.g. their emotions
