Unit 2 AC2.3 Flashcards
What are sociological theories?
Theories that look at the social factors which play a part in crime
What are Structural (Functionalist and Subcultural) theories?
Focus on the structure of society and how it is organised, they look at how equal or unequal society is, what holds it together and what causes conflict.
What is Durkheim’s Functionalist theory?
Functionalists see society as a stable structure based on shared norms, values and beliefs about right and wrong. This produces social solidarity where all members feel they belong to the same unit. Most people will conform to society’s shared norms and do not deviate.
How does Durkheim’s theory relate to crime?
Some crime is inevitable because in every society individual’s are inadequately socialised and likely to deviate. Society also contains many subcultures, each with different values so shared rules of behaviour become less clear. Durkheim calls this ‘anomie’ (normlessness) - essentially there are no norms that exist among society as a whole due to people having opposing norms and values.
What are the 4 functions of crime?
- Boundary maintenance (crime produces a reaction that unites society. Crime reminds the, of the boundary between right and wrong) Example of this is Nuremberg trials.
- Social change (for society to progress individuals with new ideas must challenge existing norms and values, this at first will be seen as deviance) Example of this is Rosa Parks’ disorderly conduct.
- Safety Valve (crime acts as a safety valve. Davis’ example - prostitution acts to release men’s sexual frustration)
- Warning light (Deviance indicates that an institution isn’t functioning properly) An example is the reoffending rate of criminals following custodial sentences - 2021/22 24.9% of offenders went on to reoffend.
What is Merton’s strain theory?
Merton argued the root cause of crime lies in the unequal structure of society. He focuses on the USA, but his theory can be applied in the UK. American society values money success or wealth as the final goal. This goal should be achieved through legitimate means such as hard work.
Blocked opportunities
Not everyone has an equal chance of achieving success legitimately because society is unequal. Opportunities of working-class people are often blocked by poverty. This creates a strain between the goal and society. This strain causes crime and violence.
How does the ‘strain’ or how do non-conformists cause crime?
Four possible deviant ways to adapt to the ‘strain’:
1. Innovation
Innovators accept the goal but find illegal ways of achieving it by committing utilitarian crimes (financial gain). Usually from lower classes where opportunities are blocked.
2. Ritualism
Ritualists give up striving for success. They plod along in a dead-end job.
3. Retreatism
Retreatists are dropouts who reject both the goal and means. Merton included ‘Drunkards, Vagrants and drug addicts’.
4. Rebellion
Rebels reject the existing goals and means, replacing them with new ones with the aims of changing society. Examples include political radicals and alternative cultures such as hippies.
What do interactionists believe?
They see our interactions with others based on meanings or labels. For example ‘criminal’ is a label that some people may attach to others in their interactions with one another.
What is Becker’s Labelling theory?
Main argument of the theory is that no act is criminal or deviant in itself. It only becomes so when we create rules/labels and apply them to others.
Differential enforcement of the law
Interactionists argue that social control agencies (i.e. police) label certain groups as criminal. This results in differential enforcement.
Pilivian and Briar found police decisions to arrest were based on stereotypical ideas based on dress, gender, class, time and place.
Cicourel found that police use typifications of the typical delinquent.
Statistics to support labelling theory
In 2020/21 43% of all stop and searches were conducted in London, involving a higher proportion of minority ethnic groups when compared to the rest of England and Wales.
Black suspects had the highest proportion of arrests that resulted from stop and search, accounting for 23% of total arrests.
Edwin Lemert
Argued that labelling is the cause of crime and deviance. By labelling an individual as deviant, society encourages them to become more so. Explains this by distinguishing between primary and secondary deviance: primary and secondary deviance.
What is primary and secondary deviance?
- Primary deviance involves acts that have not publicly been labelled. Often trivial such as travelling on public transport without a ticket.
- Secondary deviance results from labelling. People treat the offender solely in terms of the label. This label becomes their master status.
What is self-fulfilling prophecy?
The offender is rejected from society and forced into the company of other criminals, joining a deviant subculture. Prison is an extreme example of this - offenders are excluded from society and placed with others who conform to the criminal identity.
The individual has now become the label and as a result further offending may occur.
Marxism
A structural theory that argues the unequal structure of capitalist society shapes people’s behaviour.
What do Marxists argue society is divided into?
2 classes: Bourgeoise (ruling capitalist) and Proletariat (working class)
What are the 3 key elements of the Marxist view of crime?
- Capitalism causes crime
- Making and enforcing the law
- Ideological functions of crime and the law
Capitalism causes crime
Capitalism is criminogenic which means crime is inevitable. This can be due to exploitation of the working class, capitalism pushes consumer goods at people, inequality can create feelings of alienation and capitalism causes greed.
Making and enforcing law
Marxists see both law making and enforcement as serving the interests of the capitalist class.
Chambliss argues that the laws are made to protect the property of the rich. Marxists believe law is enforced selectively against the working class. White collar crimes are less likely to be prosecuted (out of 200 companies who had broken safety laws Carson found that only 3 were prosecuted.)
