PAPER 3 FUNCTIONALISM AND CRIME Flashcards
What does Durkheim say about crime?
He says a small amount of crime is inevitable and necessary but we must use social control to stop too much crime
What does Durkheim accept?
The statistics that working class people commit the most crime
What functions does Durkheim say crime has and why?
Positive functions, because a certain amount of crime contributes to the well being of a society
According to Durkheim why is too much crime bad for society?
It can lead to anomie and this can lead to a collapse of the institutions of social control which are necessary to keep the amount of crime under control
According to Durkheim, what reaffirming function does crime perform?
Reaffirms the boundaries of acceptable behaviour.
What does Durkheim say happens when a crime occurs and an individual is punished?
It becomes clear to the rest of society that what they did was unacceptable.
What are people called who break outdated laws and why is this good?
Functional rebelsg
Good as crime performs a service in helping the law reflect the wishes of the population and helps with social changes.
According to Durkheim, what is another function of crime linked to strengthening?
Strengthening of social cohesion by bringing people together
How would feminists criticise Durkheim?
Say that crime isolates women and makes them fearful to go out
What does Cohen say is good about crime?
It can boost employment by creating jobs for police and those in criminal justice system
What did Hirschi think similarly to Durkheim?
That social order comes as a result of shared values but looks at why most people don’t commit crimes
Why does Hirschi say most people don’t commit crime?
Social bonds and attachment family and values which encourage people to resist temptation and exercise self control
What does Merton criticise of Durkheim?
That crime plays a positive role
What does Merton say crime shows about society?
That society can become dysfunctional and go into anomie (strain theory) because some people’s opportunities are blocked and can’t achieve societal goals legally
What does Merton say an innovator is?
Someone who still wants the American dream and material goals but turns to crime as they can’t achieve them in acceptable way
What does Merton say a retreatist is?
Someone who rejects all goals and socially approves means so turns to things like taking drugs.
What is conforming according to Merton?
Following the law
What’s a criticism of Merton from Marxists?
That middle class people appear to conform but still commit crime by innovating.
How does Cohen criticise Merton?
For not looking at subcultural crime
What does Cohen focus on?
Non utilitarian crime and why it takes place in subculture.
Explain why non utilitarian crime takes place in a subculture?
Working class boys fail at school and lack status, they then experience status frustration and invert middle class values to gain status from peers.
What are techniques of neutralisation according to Matza?
The ways people seek to justify their behaviour or question their responsibility in terms of mainstream values after being caught
What do Cloward and Ohlin look into?
They look into subcultures but how it’s not just legitimate opportunities that are blocked but for some illegitimate opportunities to join gangs as not all have access to gangs.
According to Cloward and Ohlin what are different kinds of gangs?
Criminal (organised adult crime where young people can have a successful career in crime)
Conflict (turf war in deprived neighbourhood)
Retreatist (join with others who cannot access subcultures so turn to drugs and alcohol)
What is a criticism of functionalism from Marxism to do with crime?
Ignores crimes of the rich and accepts statistics that working class commit crime.
How does labelling theorists like Cicourel criticise functionalism?
Says that young working class men might not necessarily commit the most crime but are most likely to be labelled the typical criminal
What is an example of social cohesion from Durkheim?
The case of April Jones where a five year old was kidnapped and went missing and the community came together to search for her and a sense of collective consciousness was created leading to social solidarity
What does Kingsley Davis argue?
The social institution of marriage could be stabilised by some married men buying prostitutions. This is a safety valve (outlet for stress). Potentially harmful behaviour is channeled
How does Newburn criticise Durkheim?
Thinks that Durkheim paid little attention to how powerful people could have undue ‘influence on what facts were seen as criminal’
