Intro to Crime + Subcultural Theories Flashcards
Define Deviance
Actions going against norms and values of a society
Define Crime
Behaviour breaking law of a society
Define Social Control
How our behaviour is controlled by society to conform to norms & values e.g. government, police, media
Define Social Construction
Norms & values are created by society e.g. crime shaped by culture/historical period
Cohen view on Crime
Warning signal, something in society is not working properly to policymakers/leaders.
e.g. certain aspect of law needs reform
Erikson view on Crime
> Institutions e.g. police actually ensure crime occurs
> e.g. festivals & carnivals rules are relaxed (public drunkeness, drug use) & they turn a blind eye to deviant behaviour.
> So we can let off steam and don’t do darker crimes
> Also eases transition from childhood to adulthood, through sanctioned rule-breaking.
Davis view on Prostitution
Safety valve for men’s sexual frustration, not threatening monogamous nuclear family as it’s one off.
Polsky view on Pornography
Safe channel for sexual desires, not threatening monogamous nuclear family as adultery would.
General Criticisms of Durkheim’s view
> Doesn’t say how much crime there should be
> Causes fear & isolation in individuals e.g. rape so not functional and positive for society
> Crime is functional for society but not for the victims
> Crime doesn’t always create social solidarity, it can divide people
How is Adaptation & Change a flawed idea?
Deviance doesn’t always lead to social change e.g. Black Lives Matter
Background to Hirschi’s Theory
Not why people do crime but why they don’t do crime.
Reasons For Not Doing Crime (Hirschi)
Individuals are controlled by bonds of attachment (to family, job, society etc) so don’t deviate.
Hirschi’s four Bonds
Attachment
Belief
Commitment
Involvement
Attachment - Hirschi
> People conform to value consensus as criminality could disrupt vital bonds
> e.g. education & family, employment.
Belief - Hirschi
Extent of people’s belief in values e.g. crime as morally wrong, stops people doing crime.
Commitment - Hirschi
People are committed to society so unlikely to undermine wishes of others.
Involvement -
People with extensive commitments, have no time to do crime.
Why does Hirschi believe Crime still occurs?
Lack of social bonds do lead to crime, but also poor socialisation & integration, impacts on a person’s desire to conform to values.
Criticisms of Hirschi
> No explanation for why some people don’t integrate into society & how crime is caused?
> Ignores pull factors e.g. peer pressure
Why does Merton believe people engage in deviant behaviour?
> Unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means.
> Strain between the goals, society encourage us to achieve & what society allows us to achieve (means).
Two Factors for Engagement in Deviance (Merton)
> Structural; societies unequal opportunity structure
> Cultural: emphasis on success & less emphasis on how to achieve it legitimately.
Merton & American Dream as Flawed
> Values success, expected to be pursue legitimately
> Belief in meritocracy, but in reality poverty & discrimination block opportunities.
> This leads to stress & pressure to resort to illegitimate means.
> Due to emphasis on success at all costs - anomie
Merton’s 5 Responses to Strain
> Conformity > Innovation > Ritualism > Retreatism > Rebellion
Conformity - Merton
Accept goals & try to achieve them legitimately e.g. middle class people
