Topic 1: Functionalist, strain and subcultural theories Flashcards
What is Durkheim’s functionalist theory of society as a whole?
Sees society as based on value consensus. Two key mechanisms. Socialisation + Social control.
How do functionalists view crime?
Integral to societies
Why is crime and deviance found in society?
1) People are socialised differently, making people more prone to deviate
2) Diversity of life styles and values, subcultures may see mainstream cultures as deviant.
What is Anomie?
Anomie reflects an individuals moral confusion and lack of direction.
What does Durkheim believe Anomie does?
Causes an increase in deviation and suicide.
What are two important positive functions of crime according to Durkheim?
1- Boundary maintenance
2- Adaptation and change
How is boundary maintenance a positive function of crime?
Unites members in condemnation of wrongdoer, reinforces laws.
This reaffirms social solidarity and discourages others from doing wrong.
How is adaptation and change a positive function of crime?
All change starts with deviance, new ideas are deviant which changes norms and values over time.
E.g The suffragettes were deviant but norms changed to allow women to vote.
What does Durkheim believe happens when crime gets too high in a society?
Too much crime threatens to tear the bonds of society apart.
What does Durkheim believe happens when crime gets too little in society?
Too little crime means that society is repressing and controlling its members too much, stopping individual freedom and preventing change.
What does Davis say is a positive function of crime?
Prostitution safely releases men’s sexual frustrations without threatening nuclear family.
What does Polski say is a positive function of crime?
Pornography safely channels a variety of sexual desires away from adultery which would pose a threat to the family.
What does Cohen say about the function of deviance?
It’s a warning that an institution is not working properly, ex. high rates of truancy tells us theres something wrong with the education system.
What does the functionalist Erikson (1966) say about the function of crime?
Perhaps society is actually organised so as to promote deviance. Suggests that social control produces crime rather than stopping it using labelling theory.
Give criticisms of the functionalist view.
-Durkheim doesn’t specify the correct amount of crime and deviance is good for society
-Functionalists suggest society creates crime has intention of strengthening solidarity.
-Functionalists look at how crime affects society as a whole not individual groups
-Crime doesn’t always produce solidarity and can isolate people instead
What are strain theories?
deviant behaviour happens when people are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means
Who developed the first strain theory?
Robert. K. Merton (1938)
What is Merton’s strain theory?
He believes that deviance is a strain between society’s encouraged goals and what society allows them to achieve.
What are Structural factors?
Society’s unequal opportunity structure
What are Cultural factors?
Success goals in a culture.
Give an example of Merton’s strain theory in action
The goal (e.g american dream) and lack of opportunity creates a pressure to adopt illegitimate means. Norms are not strong enough to prevent this.
What are the 5 adaptations to strain
Conformity
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreatism
Rebellion
Conformity as an adaptation to strain
Where people accept society’s goals and try to achieve legitimately
Innovation as an adaptation to strain
Where people accept society’s goals, but use illegitimate means to gain them
Ritualism as an adaptation to strain
Where people give up on society’s goals but have internalised the illegitimate means
Retreatism as an adaptation to strain
Where people reject both society’s goals and the legitimate means
Rebellion as an adaptation to strain
Where people reject society’s goals but replace them with their own and seek revolutionary change
How does Merton explain his strain theory using crime statistics?
-Most crime is property crime, American society values material. wealth
-W/C crime rates are higher because they have least opportunity to obtain wealth legitimately.
How is Merton’s strain theory criticised?
-Not all W/C deviates
-Marxists say it ignores power of ruling class
-Assumes there is a value consensus, ignores possibility that not all may share the goal
How does Cohen (1955) criticise Merton’s strain theory?
Merton sees deviance as an individual response, ignoring groups that commit deviance
Focuses on utilitarian crime for financial gain, ignores crime such as assault and vandalism, which have no economic gain.
What does Cohen focus on?
Deviance among working class boys, says they face Anomie in M/C dominated education system
How does Cohen say working class boys suffer with status frustration?
By being unable to achieve status by legitimate means (education)
How do working class boys resolve their frustration according to Cohen?
By rejecting mainstream middle-class values and forming or joining a delinquent subculture
What is the Alternative status hierarchy according to Cohen?
In delinquent subcultures, it offers illegitimate ways of achieving status. from their peers through delinquent. actions
What is one strength of Cohen’s theory?
Offers an explanation of non-utilitarian violence such as vandalism and truancy.
What is a criticism of Cohen’s theory?
-Assumes W/C boys start sharing M/C values only to reject them when they fail.
-Ignores possibility that they didn’t share these goals to begin with.
What do Cloward and Ohlin agree with Cohen on?
That W/C youths are denied legitimate opportunities
What is Cloward and Ohlin (1960)’s summarised idea?
They believe that different subcultures respond in different ways to both the lack of legitimate opportunities they have and their lack of illegitimate opportunities
What is Cloward and Ohlin’s neighbourhood theory?
Different neighbourhoods provide illegitimate opportunities to learn criminal skills
Criminal subcultures
Provide youths with a gateway into crime, this only happens in neighbourhoods with long-lasting criminal cultures
Conflict subcultures
High population turnover, prevents stable criminal network developing, only illegitimate means is loosely organised crimes.
Retreatist subcultures
Have no professional crime culture, people with no goals normally become retreatists (drug takers etc)
Who presented the institutional anomie theory?
Messner and Rosenfield (2001)
Summarise the institutional anomie theory.
The American dream promotes the idea that wealth can be gained by any means, there by promoting monetary gain by illegitimate means
