Functionalist And Subcultural Theories Of Crime

Question 1

Functionalists view

Answer 1

• argue deviance is inevitable and beneficial to society
• they are interested in the cause of deviance
• according to functionalists members of society share a common culture and this culture is a set of goals, values and norms and people

Question 2

Durkheim

Answer 2

Believed that crime is normal and healthy for society. Believed it existed because of:
1. Ineffective socialisation
2. Diversity of lifestyle and values

The two main positive functions of crime are:
- boundary maintenance - the reaction to crime which unties members in condemnation
- adaptation and change - must be a challenge and scope to change norms and vales. This is because, if new ideas are suppressed, society will stagnate which may cause cultural conflict

Question 3

Davis (1961)

Answer 3

Prostitution acts as a ‘safety valve’ for the release of males sexual frustration and therefore doesn’t threaten the nuclear family so is a positive. Deviant behaviours can be regulated rather than eliminated - licensed deviance

Question 4

Criticisms of Durkheim

Answer 4

• he states that crime is good but doesn’t specify how much
• criticised by realists - because crime and deviance should inform policy makers in terms of how to prevent crime
• Marxists argue that he fails to consider where the consensus comes from and who’s interests its in
• crime does not always promote solidarity and it may have the opposite effect, leading to people becoming more isolated.

Question 5

Hirschi - bonds of attachment

Answer 5

• attachment can stop crime as we care what others think
• commitment can also prevent crime as you have more to lose

Question 6

Evaluations of hirchi

Answer 6

• this ideology is positive as he asks the question of what stops people from committing crimes rather than why they commit it so we can find ways to prevent crime
• however, he doesn’t address why some members in society have secure bonds and why some are marginalised

Question 7

Merton strain theory

Answer 7

• a development of durkhiems ideas and this theory argues that people engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goulash by legitimate means. This explanation includes structural factors which are societies unequal opportunity structure and cultural factors which place a strong emphasis on success goal and the weaker emphasis on using legitimate means to achieve them
• the resulting strain between cultural goal of money success and the lack of legitimate opportunity to achieve produces frustration, and this in turn creates a pressure to resort to
• legitimate means such as crime and deviance - he calls this the strain anomie

Question 8

What Merton believes is the result of a strain theory

Answer 8

• the goal that culture encourages individuals to achieve
• what the institutional structure of society allows them to achieve legitimately

Question 9

American dream vs reality

Answer 9

• the American dream is the expectation to pursue ‘money success’ by legitimate means. However, many disadvantaged groups are denied the opportunities legitimately

Question 10

Criticisms of Merton

Answer 10

• he takes official crime statistics at face value which over represent w/c crime, so he sees crime as a w/c phenomenon. So his view is therefore too deterministic.
• it also assumes that there is a value consensus and everyone strives for ‘money success’ when not everyone does
• Marxists argue that it ignores the power of the ruling class to make and enforce the laws in ways that criminalised the poor but not the rich
• it explains how deviance results from individuals adapting to the strain to anomie but ignores the role of group deviance, such as delinquent subcultures