sociological theories of crime

Question 1

who created the funtionalism theory

Answer 1

emile durkeim

Question 2

what did durkiem believe(what is functionalism about)

Answer 2

he believed that crime and deviance serve a function in society and it helps it function. it focuses on why people breach social norms

Question 3

what sets appart criminals from most people according to functionalism

Answer 3

most people have a “collective conscious” (shared values) which stop them from commiting crimes but criminals and deviants have anomie

Question 4

what is anomie

Answer 4

is moral confusion which creates criminal and/or deviant behaviour

Question 5

what are the 3 main functions of functionalism

Answer 5

1. adapt and change
2. boundary maintenance
3. crime and safety valve

Question 6

what is an example of adapt and change

Answer 6

civil rights movement- black people protested and sat at the front of buses to get equal rights

Question 7

whats an example of boundary maintenance

Answer 7

9/11- allowed the world to mourn together and collectively set new policies and laws to make the world a better place for everyone

Question 8

how is crime safety valve

Answer 8

functionalists say crime relieves stress which benefits maintaining order

Question 9

how does functionalism explain criminal behaviour

Answer 9

functionalists say that criminal behaviour is needed to keep society running smoothly and people arent taught proper socialisation which makes them break norms, values and laws

Question 10

what is strain theory by robert merton

Answer 10

the theory is based on the american dream.
individuals achieves thgings legitimacy others wont, people feel strain when legitimacy is blocked which makes them more likely to commit crime

Question 11

merton argued that people have 5 responces to strain what are they

Answer 11

1. conformity
   2.innovation
   3.ritualism
   4.retreatism
   5.rebellion

Question 12

what choices are most likely to commit crime and why according to merton

Answer 12

innovators- develop illegitmate means to achieve goals
rebels-create their own rules which leads them to not following or accepting laws of society
retreatism- become sociallly iscolatwd and their only choice is to commit crime

Question 13

what is marxism by karl marx

Answer 13

where marxists believed capitalism is the main reason for crime, and society is split into 2 social classes: bourgeoisie(ruling class) and proletariat(social class)

Question 14

what are the 3 explanations of crime accordsing to marxism

Answer 14

1. capitalism is criminogenic
2. selective law making and enforcement
3. ideological functions of the law/state

Question 15

what does it mean when we say capitalism is criminogenic

Answer 15

capitalism causes crime. it divides and creates inequalities between social classes which drives poor people to commit crime such as vandalism and violent crimes to send a message which results in alienisation of the working class

Question 16

what is selective law making and enforcement

Answer 16

in the working class, there is heavy policing done and crimes they commit are constantly in the news whereas ruling clas crimes such as white collar crimes are rarely prosecuted. the law reflects the ruling class interests

Question 17

what is an example of selective law making and enforcement

Answer 17

lavinia woodward- stabs her boyfriend and gets away with it because procesutors believe shes “too smart to go to prison” because she attended oxford uni

Question 18

what is ideological functions of the law/state

Answer 18

where crime and deviance are defined by the ruling class and they have social control

Question 19

what is the labelling theory by howard becker

Answer 19

the idea that labelling someone something eventually drives them to become that label(self-fufilling prophecy)

Question 20

what are the 3 consquences of labelling according to becker

Answer 20

1. deviancy amplification
2. self fufilling prophecy
3. deviant careers and master status

Question 21

what is deviancy amplification

Answer 21

deviance and crime are increased because of sociatal reaction to it

Question 22

whats an example of deviancy amplification

Answer 22

london riots- started in one area but it spread to all over london because of peoples reactions on social media ect

Question 23

what is self fufilling prophecy

Answer 23

where a persons expectations about someone leads to them living up to the expectation

Question 24

what is the 4 steps to deviant careers and master status

Answer 24

1. being publically labelled leads to rejection from social groups
2. leads to further deviance
3. person accepts label and deviant career emerges
4. label becomes master status and person becomes their label

Question 25

what is right realism (supporting capitalism)

Answer 25

the idea that people blame the individuals for their lack of control and that the lower class commit most crime.

Question 26

what are the 3 explanations for crime according to right realism

Answer 26

1. biological factors
2. socialisation
3. rational choice

Question 27

how do biological factors contribute to people commiting crimes according to right realism

Answer 27

where criminals have biological differences such as abnormal personality traits and hormones which drive them to commit crime and we should blame them for their actions not societal factors
wilson and hernnstien- crime is cause by biological and social factors

Question 28

how does socialisation contribute to people commiting crime according to right realism

Answer 28

effective sociaslisation from family reduces risk of criminality
murry- growing underclass commits crime because parents havent socialised there kids properly

Question 29

what is rational choice

Answer 29

clarke- people choose ot commit crime because they weigh up the pros and cons and believe that the pros outweigh the cons

Question 30

what are solutions to stop crime according to right realism

Answer 30

situational crime prevention(protecting targets from criminals)
environmental crime prevention(making neighbourhoods crime resistant)
target hardening (punishing straight away)
zero tolerance(harsh punishments)

Question 31

what is left realism

Answer 31

where society is divided by capitalism which causes inequalities within social classes. this leads to the lower classes to commit crime

Question 32

what are the 3 explanations of crime according to left realism

Answer 32

1. relative deprivation
2. marginalisation
3. subculture

Question 33

how does relative deprivation lead to crime according to left realism

Answer 33

because of media and consumerism, people are aware that they are deprived compared to some people whihc makes them resentful whihc leads tothem comminting crimes e.g. shoplifting to try and gain the same thing as what others have

Question 34

how does marginalisation lead to crime according to left realism

Answer 34

minorities are on the edge of society so the feel powerless and not listened tp so they act out and commit crimes such as vandalism or violence due to frustration

Question 35

how doe ssubculture lead to crime according to left realism

Answer 35

different groups have there own values in response to problems and priorities, as a consquence of relative deprivation ans marginalisation, minorities seek a collective response and form subcultures. sometimes these groups can conflict each other which leads to crime

Question 36

what solutions to tackling crime do left realism suggest

Answer 36

social and community crime prevention strategies e.g. interventions, involving locals in combatting crime etc