Sociological Theories Flashcards
What are the sociological theory’s of criminality
Durkheims functionalist theory’s
Karl Marx Marxist theory
Beckers labelling theory
Murray’s right realism
Lea and youngs left realism
What are the structural theory’s of criminality
Durkheims functionalist theory
Karl Marx Marxist theory
What are the interactionalist theory of criminality
Beckers labelling theory
What are the realist theory’s of criminality
Murray’s right realism
Lea and youngs left realism
Describe functionalism
Functionalists like Durkheim view society as a system of
interrelated parts that work together to maintain stability and
social order. He believed that most people conform to society’s
norms and values because of socialisation and the presence of
social institutions that enforce collective values. However, crime is
inevitable because not everyone is equally socialised, and
differences in individuals lead to deviant behavior. Additionally,
rapid social change or a breakdown of shared norms can lead to
‘anomie,’ a state of normlessness where individuals feel
disconnected from societal expectations, increasing the likelihood
of crime.
Durkheim argues that a small amount of crime is functional for
society. He argues crime has four functions.
The four functions of crime:
1. Reaffirming
boundaries
(Boundary
Reminds us of our collective values
maintenance)
2. Changing
values (Social
change)
Changing out of date laws
- Safety Valve
Smaller criminal acts reliev stress and stop larger acts from occurring - Warning Light
Shows us that crime rates are increasing helping to reduce them
Evaluate functionalism
Durkheim is one of the few to acknowledge the positive impacts
of crime. argues that crime can be beneficial by reinforcing social
norms, strengthening collective values, and leading to legal and
social reform. Protests and acts of civil disobedience (e.g., Rosa
Parks, Nelson Mandela) have historically contributed to positive
social change.
Unlike some theories that aim for a crime-free society, Durkheim
accepts that crime is natural and exists in all societies. Durkheim
recognises that not everyone shares the same values, making
some level of crime unavoidable.
While crime may benefit society by promoting change, it causes
harm and suffering for victims and communities. It doesn’t
address how crime affects individuals, particularly victims of
crimes.
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The theory does not clearly explain why some people conform
while others deviate, leaving gaps in understanding individual
motivations for crime.
Marxists argue that laws do not represent a collective values but
are shaped by the ruling class to protect their interests. For
example, laws against theft protect private property, benefiting
the wealthy, while corporate crimes (e.g., tax evasion) are often
punished less harshly.
Describe Marxism
Karl Marx argues that crime is caused by capitalism. Capitalism
is an economic system. That is, it is a system for dealing with
money and wealth. In a capitalist country, citizens, not
governments, own and run companies. These companies compete
with other companies for business. They decide which goods and
services to provide. They also decide how much to charge for the
goods and services and where to sell them. Companies do all
these things to make money for their owners. People who use
their money to start or to run companies are called capitalists.
In capitalist societies there are two social classes:
Bourgeoisie (ruling class) Proletariat (working class)
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The four ways capitalism is criminogenic:
1. Poverty- people are pushed into crime to survive
2.
3.
4. Greed of the bourgeoisie- want to create more money so obtain it through crimes
Evaluate Marxism
Unlike functionalists, who claim that laws reflect society’s
collective values, Marxists argue that laws serve the interests of
the ruling class (bourgeoisie) and protect their wealth and power.
Laws against theft protect private property (benefiting the rich),
while tax evasion and corporate fraud often receive lighter
punishments.
Marxism can be used to explain a wide range of crimes. For
example, how working-class individuals may turn to financially
motivated crime such as theft, drug dealing, or fraud to survive in
a system that exploits them. It also explains how alienation and
frustration in capitalism can lead to crimes like vandalism and
violence as acts of rebellion.
While powerful individuals can often avoid harsh punishment,
some corporate criminals do face justice (e.g., Bernie Madoff’s life
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sentence for fraud). Laws and institutions (like anti-corruption
agencies) sometimes hold the elite accountable.
Crime exists in non-capitalist societies, such as communist or
socialist states (e.g., violent crime in the Soviet Union or
corruption in North Korea). This suggests that other factors, like
human nature, culture, and personal psychology, also contribute
to crime.
If capitalism is the root cause of crime, why do many poor
individuals still obey the law? Other factors, such as morality,
family values, and personal beliefs, influence criminal behavior
but are ignored by Marxism.
Interactionism argues that people in society have control over
institutions, in this case the CJS. Labelling theory is part of
interactionism and it suggests that societies label acts and people
as criminal and this is what creates/ causes criminality.
Describe Beckers theory
For labelling theorists, there is no act that is inherently criminal or
deviant in itself. Instead, it only comes to be so when others label
an act as such. Labelling theory is therefore not about why people
commit crime or deviance instead they are concerned with how
certain actions or people get labelled as criminal in the first place.
Not everyone who commits an offence is punished for it. Whether
a person is arrested, charged or convicted depends on certain
factors. Piliavin and Briar (1964) found that decisions to arrest
were based on stereotypical things like dress, gender, class,
ethnicity, time and place
If a person fits the CJS typification’s of a criminal, they will be
labelled as such. When someone is labelled as deviant or criminal
they will start to be treated as such by people around them. This
can lead to them being rejected from certain social groups, for
example rejected by family. This treatment can lead to the person
committing more criminal or deviant acts becoming the criminal
they were labelled to be, this is called a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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Official institutions will respond to their deviance causing them to
be punished. This can lead to further rejection by society, for
example, having a criminal record can prevent employment. The
labelled criminal may then fully embrace their new status or label,
making friends with other criminals and making this label their
primary identity, or their Master status.
Evaluate Beckers theory
Labelling theory challenges the idea that certain behaviors are
inherently criminal or deviant. It highlights that crime and
deviance are socially constructed and vary depending on the
context, culture, and who holds power.
The theory explains how efforts to control crime (such as
punishment or stigmatization) can actually increase crime due to
a phenomenon called deviance amplification. By labelling
someone as a criminal, society may push them into more criminal
behavior, making the problem worse instead of solving it.
Labelling theory assumes that once someone is labelled as
deviant, they will continue down a deviant path, but this is not
always true. Many people reject the label and go on to live law-
abiding lives, suggesting that not all labels lead to a deviant
career.
Labeling theory has been critiqued for potentially sympathizing
too much with criminals and portraying them as victims of societal
labeling. This could downplay the harm done to victims of crime,
and lead to empathy for criminals at the expense of recognizing
the suffering of victims.
While labelling theory explains the social process of becoming
deviant after being labelled, it does not explain the initial
motivation behind why someone committed a criminal act. It fails
to address individual reasons for engaging in crime or deviance
before they are labelled.
Describe right realism
Right Realism is associated with the right wing neoliberal
government of Margaret Thatcher which came to power in 1979,
although most of the governments which followed have adopted
more right realist policies.
Right Realists Reject the idea put forward by Marxists that deeper
structural or economic factors such as poverty are the causes of
crime – they mainly hold that the individual is responsible for
crime – although they do accept that high levels of ‘social
disorder’ and low levels of ‘social control’ are associated with
higher crime rates. Right Realism tends to focus on the individual
as being responsible for crime, arguing that we need to get tough
on criminals to reduce crime. You need to know about three key
Right Realist ideas about crime:
1. 2. 3. Crime is a rational choice (Rational choice theory)
Crime is often a result of the underclass being
inadequately socialised (Underclass)
Areas with visible signs of disorder will encourage crime
(Broken windows theory)
Memory hook: RUB
Evaluate right realism
Studies like Bennett and Wright’s research on burglars show that
criminals do consider risks before offending, supporting the idea
that crime is often a rational decision based on costs and benefits.
Right realism offers practical solutions to crime has influenced
policies such as increased policing, target-hardening (e.g., CCTV,
better locks), and zero-tolerance policing, which have been
effective in reducing crime in some areas.
Right realism downplays factors like poverty, racism, and social
inequality, which have been linked to crime rates. Not all crime is
purely a rational choice; sometimes, people turn to crime out of
necessity.
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Many crimes, such as violent outbursts, domestic violence, and
drug-related offenses, are committed impulsively or under
emotional distress rather than through rational calculation.
Tougher penalties do not always deter crime. For example, in the
US statistics show that states with the death penalty have higher
murder rates than states that do not use the death penalty,
showing that harsh consequences do not always work as
deterrents.
Right realism assumes that lone-parent families lead to crime, but
many single parents raise law-abiding children, while some
criminals come from stable, two-parent households.
Describe left realism
Left Realism developed in the early 1980s in response to the need
to find real solutions to criminal behaviour. They are opposed to
Right Realist theories that rose to dominance from the
conservative government in the 1970s. Left Realism draws on
ideas of structural inequality (Marxism) and role of the police in
labelling individuals as criminal (Labelling theory). Left Realist key
thinkers such as Lea and Young argue there are three main causes
of crime:
1.
Marginalisation - “force into a position of powerlessness”
2. Relative deprivation- people steal to get what other people have
3. Subcultures- smaller groups that have differnt norms to the larger group
Evaluate left realism
Left realism highlights poverty, social exclusion, and inequality as
key drivers of crime, explaining why marginalised groups are more
likely to offend. In England and Wales, 15% of prisoners were
homeless before entering prison and 46% of prisoners lack
functional Maths and English skills.
Unlike more radical perspectives e.g. Marxism, left realism
proposes realistic strategies, such as community policing,
rehabilitation, and improving social services, rather than just
blaming the system.
By advocating for better education, employment opportunities,
and social support, left realism aims to reduce crime at its roots
rather than just through punishment.
Left realism mainly focuses on street crime and how it affects
working-class communities but does not provide a strong analysis
of corporate or white-collar crime.
While it promotes social reform and rehabilitation, left realism
does not clearly outline how criminals should be punished or how
to balance justice with prevention.
