Functionilsm

Question 1

Theory

Answer 1

A set of ideas that attempt to make sense of the world.

Question 2

Sociological theory

Answer 2

Where a number of sociologists agree on a particular way of explaining human behaviour in society, a ‘theory’ exists.

Question 3

The 3 concepts of functionalism

Answer 3

Value consensus
Collective conscience
Social solidarity

Question 4

Value consensus

Answer 4

A shared agreement about what is right or wrong.

Question 5

Collective conscience

Answer 5

A set of shared beliefs, ideas and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force in society.

Question 6

Social solidarity

Answer 6

Society is united/cohesive/glued together due to the shared values.

Question 7

Society and the human body

Answer 7

Functionalists believe society functions like the human body. Every cell has a role in order to make up the body, every person has a role to make up in society.

Question 8

Travis Hirschi - social bonds

Answer 8

A key functionalist sociological theory. The four bonds of society link to people having their own roles and belief in society.

Question 9

Why might some crime be functional for society?

Answer 9

• provides jobs
• creates change within society
• it’s a normal, inevitable part of society
• teaches right from wrong (boundary maintenance)
• ‘naming and shaming’ (deterrence)
• crime can strengthen the collective conscience, which truly strengthens social solidarity

Question 10

Durkheim - the functions of crime and deviance

Answer 10

‘There is no such thing as a society of saints’.
Criminal and/or deviant acts serve to reaffirm society’s core values, which in turn allow social solidarity to exist. When shocking crimes occur, the reunifying of people who are reminded that their values are strong is present. The collective conscience is strengthened which in turn helps to promote social cohesion. In Britain, court cases are open to the general public. Viewing galleries allow the accused to face public scrutiny and if found guilty, sentencing can act as a deterrent. Prison is the ultimate means of rejecting a person from their society. Restorative justice is an effective way of allowing wrong doers to show that they are sorry and allows them to reintegrate into society. The well being of society must always come first.

Question 11

Durkheim - contemporary examples

Answer 11

London 2018 - the killing of 2 citizens in London by convicted terrorist Usman Khan sparked outrage after it was revealed that a majority of those in prison on terror related offences face release after serving half of their sentence.
The Manchester arena bombing 22 May 2017 - 23 died including the attacker and 139 were injured.
Christchurch New Zealand 15 March 2019 - terrorist shooting attacks at two different mosques. Killed 51 people and injured 49.

Question 12

Durkheim - restorative justice example

Answer 12

2002 - Woolf and Riley, the attempted robbery that led to Woolf changing his life completely through a restorative justice program.
This follows Durkheim’s functionalist ideas: restorative justice helps give back to society and allowing them to integrate in society, therefore showing how the role of crime, punishment and holding accountability can change people for the better. It can further create social solidarity.

Question 13

Durkheim - criticisms

Answer 13

Might crime be evidence of social solidarity breaking down rather than evidence that it exists?
Some people don’t see the consequences of their crime as too bad. Prisons in the UK are overcrowded.
Recidivism remains high. Within 2 years, half the offenders are back in prison.
Rather insensitive to the victims of the crimes - claiming it’s a good thing when people got hurt or died is a slap in the face to the victims and their loved ones.

Question 14

Kingsley Davis - prostitution may be functional for the traditional, nuclear family

Answer 14

Sex workers provide a ‘safety valve’ for the stability of the nuclear family. Married men who use sex workers are able to gain sexual gratification without the emotional ties. This decreases the likelihood of divorce, keeping married partnerships together, therefore making crime functional for society.

Question 15

Kingsley Davis - criticisms

Answer 15

Prostitution may undermine the family unit - the wife may not approve, causing marital breakdown.
Feminist criticisms: the double standards of women and men in marriage and using prostitution, objectifying women and ignores the negative impact and exploitation of the sex workers and women as a whole.

Question 16

Kingsley Davis - pornography

Answer 16

Does porn provide a channel to express sexual frustrations and prevent crimes like sexual assault and rape?

Question 17

Pornography - criticisms

Answer 17

Germaine Greer: ‘pornography is the theory, rape is the act’.
Use of pornography can have links to further deviant acts caused.

Question 18

Truancy

Answer 18

An indication that change is needed.

Question 19

Deviance can bring about positive change

Answer 19

Early suffragettes willingly broke the law in raising awareness of their campaign. Without this, would advancements in women’s rights have gained ground?

Question 20

Deviance can bring about positive change - criticisms

Answer 20

Can criminal behaviour (even with good intentions) alienate rather than generate public support and positive social change (Just stop Oil)?

Question 21

When does crime become a problem?

Answer 21

When it spirals out of control. This increases the risk of anomie (social chaos) and must be avoided.
- sudden economic change
- war
- natural disasters
All of the above plunge societies into anomie and crime rates can massively increase.

Question 22

Examples of crime spiralling out of control

Answer 22

2003 - looting on a mass scale following the toppling of Iraq’s president, Saddam Hussain
2024 - Southport stabbing leading to far-right riots
2011 - The London riots: tackled quickly with courts open 24/7 to process offenders, avoiding anomie.

Question 23

Robert Merton - social structure and anomie

Answer 23

Explanations on why crime occurs should focus on the nature of society and the culture of a society. For example: the American dream is something American’s are socialised to desire and want. For working class Americans, it’s impossible to achieve, experiencing something known as ‘strain’, attempting to reach for something but held back by their working class roots. This can lead to anomie, and its societies fault. In response to the strain to anomie, working class Americans may try to reach the American dream in 3 ways:
- conformity
- innovation
- rebellion

Question 24

Robert Merton - contemporary example

Answer 24

April 2015, Hatton Garden - 4 elderly men burgled an underground safe deposit company, goods totalled of £200 million.

Question 25

Robert Merton - criticisms

Answer 25

• fails to consider why others commit non utilitarian crimes
• how to middle class, white collar criminals fit in Merton’s model? Haven’t they already achieved the American dream?
• Merton only focuses on the individual response to strain, he overlooks subculture responses such as gang crimes
• does ‘strain to anomie’ inevitably lead to crime? Does Merton overlook alternative ways people deal with strain?

Question 26

Final Durkheim evaluation

Answer 26

Durkheim does take a fresh, alternative approach in seeing crime as a positive thing- something all other criminologists ignore.
However:
- is Durkheim insensitive to the victims of crime who will unlikely see any positive to what they have experienced?
- in analysing society’s relationship to crime, Durkheim overlooks the individual motivations behind offending
- is Durkheim ‘blinkered’ to the flaws within the criminal justice system, ignoring problems of discrimination, etc.