Merton Flashcards

1
Q

What is the cause of crime?

A

A strain between the goals that society encourages and the means to achieve them legitimately
e.g. american dream

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2
Q

What are the adaptations to strain?

A

Conformity- accepts goals and legitimate means

Innovation- accepts goals but rejects legitimate means

Ritualism- rejects goals but accepts legitimate means

Retreatism- reject goals and legitimate means and become ‘drug addicts, outcasts’ etc.

Rebellion- reject societal goals and legitmate means in favour of adopting your own ones e.g. political radicals

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3
Q

Advantage of Merton’s theory

A

Shows how normal and deviant behaviour can arise from the same mainstream goals

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4
Q

Criticisms

A

Marxists- ignores the crimes of the ruling classes who make and enforce laws that victimise the poor

Only accounts for utilitarian crime

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