Theories : Functionalism Flashcards
Durkheim (1933)
Crime is functional for society as the societal reaction to it strengthens moral boundaries.
Two positive functions of crime are: boundary maintenance and adaption
Erickson (1966)
Interpreting Durkheim’s thesis on the functionality of crime writes:
Society experiences a tighter bond of solidarity
Merton (1938)
Posits that the socially induced disjunction between culturally valued goals and the means available for their attainment facilitates an anomic breakdown or state of deregulation, leading to high rates of deviation
Cohen (1955)
As a point of contrast to Merton’s (1968) claim that the link between strain and delinquency is primarily utilitarian, Albert Cohen (1955) argued that most delinquency is nonutilitarian and that delinquency finds its foundation, not in individual-level, Mertonian processes but as a byproduct of lower- and working-class gang formation (Agnew, 1980).
Subculture offers working-class boys an alternative status hierarchy
Cloward and Ohlin (1960)
They echo the assumptions of Merton
Developed an extension to strain theory focusing on the relationship between community dynamics and strain.
Akers and
Sellers (2004)
In essence, Cloward and Ohlin assert that delinquent adaptations are best explained by one’s social location in legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures
Akers and Sellers facilitate this claim and argue that “just because legitimate opportunities are blocked does not necessarily mean that illegitimate opportunities are freely available . . . . Just as there is unequal access to role models and opportunities to fulfil conforming roles, there is unequal access to illegitimate roles and opportunities”
In light of this distinction, Cloward and Ohlin (1960) assert that delinquent subcultures are necessary to translate strain into crime
Kornhauser (1978)
There’s an unclear linkage between strain and
social control.
Hirschi (1969)
All of us, beginning at birth, possess the hedonistic drive to act in the kinds of selfish and aggressive ways that lead to criminal behaviour.
These behaviours, Hirschi contended, are part of our innate human nature—the important part, he argued, is that most of us control these “natural” urges.
Sampson and Laub’s
1993
Sampson and Laub’s (1993) life course theory drew heavily upon Hirschi’s original notion of social bonds
Specifically, Sampson and Laub noted that changes in criminal behaviour over the life course could be explained by changes in age-graded informal social control mechanisms
In essence, this perspective holds that while
the kinds of social bonds that constrain our behaviour change as we age (e.g., parents are important for this task when we are young, but play less
of a role as we age), it is still the principle of
social bonding and the power of informal social controls that ultimately keep our behaviour in check.
Gottfredson (1990)
Retained the core notion that individuals are naturally predisposed toward criminal behaviour and therefore need to be restrained from doing so
Taylor (1971)
Criticises Merton for failing to consider wider power relations in society
Matza (1964)
Research suggests that most delinquents are not committed to a delinquent subculture nor are they totally opposed to societies values
Rather they drift in and out of delinquency so the idea of highly integrated and distinctive subcultures is a myth
Underclass Theory
Murray (1989)
The underclass is responsible for a large proportion of crime
They don’t share the same values and culture as other members of society
Lone parent
Mooney (1998)
There is no link between single parenthood and criminality. Her research indicates that single parents are more likely to become the victims of crime than to become criminals themselves
