Theories Flashcards
FUNC: what does Durkheim say about why crime is inevitable.
Because of inadequate sociolisation not everyone is socialised with the correct norms and values due too poor parenting (similer to new right) there will always be some subcultures that will behave in a manner most see as devient or criminal. eg. eco road protest. as people become less religious, social solidarity and collective consciousness loose power and crime can be a result.
Func: what does merton say.
argues that many crimes exist due to society having an american dream. he says theirs 5 ways ways how people react to this
conformity ( obtaining dream legitimately p)
innovation (obtaining through crime)
ritualism (devient responce = giving up)
retretism (give up and do drugs)
rebellion (terriorist acts) - Al Queda
FUNC; points supporting merton
llinked strains of structure to criminality. explain crimes that make finantial profit. showing those who dont fit standands will obtain it in illigitimate ways. messner v rosenheld argue crimes hign in america bc of value on material wealth .
FUNC: japan supporting merton
they promote civic responsibility as children learn to respect school and each other. this may explain why crimes like vandalism is higher in other places then japan
FUNC: criticism of merton
a critisism is he can only expiain crimes that make a profit.
assumes everyone wants the amenican dream. many people in
Society who arent financially good yet dont turn to crime. much crimes done collectively, not individual as merton implies.
FUNC: official stats and theories of crime
who take them? who dont?
MOST CRIMINAL GROUP?
whats it develop?
func, subculture, environmental, right.
w/c men are the most criminal group
dont: social action, marx dont agree ^
leads to them developing alternative theories.
FUNC: boundary maintenance
Durkhiem view
crime produces a reaction from society.
Durkhiem- ^ this explains the function of punisment. to remove crime from society
FUNC: boundary maintenance
Stanley cohen
cohen has examined the importsnt role played by the media in this dramatisation of evil. in his view, media coversge of crime and deviance often creates folk devils
FUNC: Adaption and change:
Durkheim, all change starts with an act of deviance. There must be some scope for them to challenge and change existing norms and values, authorities often persecute religious visionaries who espouse a new ‘message’in the long run their values may give rise to a new culture and morality. If those with new ideas are suppressed, society will stagnate
FUNC: how much crime is good / durkhiem
Thus, for Durkheim, neither a very high nor a very low level of crime is desirable.
Func: Davis
prositution acts as a safety valve for the release of mens sexual frustration
FUNC: polsky
argues porn safety channles a variety of sexual desires away from alrernarives such as adultry with promote threat to NF
FUNC: Cohen about truency rates
high rates of truency may tell us that there are problems with the education system
Func: Erickson
argues that if crime and deviance perform positive social functions, then perhaps it means society is actually organised so as to promote deviance.
Func: critisisms
durkhiem offers no way of knowing how much is rhe right amoint of deviancy
funcs explain existance in terms of its function- but this doesnt acc mean society acc creates crime in advance with the intention of strengthening solidarity
crime doesnt always promote solidarity but the opposite
Func: strain theory MURTON
argue that people engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means.
structural factors and cultural
SUBCULTURE: Albert Cohen
he is one of the earliest subcultural theories. delinquent behaviour was most likely to develop amongst working class boys doing bad at school. status frustration.
turn to stealing fighting and vandalism
SUBCULTURE: cloward and ohlin
developed Cohen‘s ideas. The criminal subculture is most likely to be found in stable working class areas. most crimes involved making the financial gain. status is gained through gang membership.
SUBXULTURE: miller
argued that many working class American boys get into trouble with the police because they have different norms and values. (Focal concerns) three of the concerns are trouble, toughness, excitement. working class member will end up breaking the law. This makes it inevitable.
subculture : US gangs a nightingale
gangs are common in America and are ethnically divided. Two most infamous are crips and blood gangs. which have split into many groups. Nightingale studied them in Philadelphia, showing they want to achieve American dream with materialistic items.
SUBCULTURE: uk gangs
bennit and holloway
uk gangs now exist like american gangs. bennit and holloway carried out reaserch from 5000 arrests in engkanf and wales. that found 15% had past/ current gang experience. estemating there may be 2000 members gang in the uk.
SUBCULTURE: mc gangs (korem)
examines middle class gangs arguing that mc boys are forming gangs in increading numbers
bcs of famiky problems
SUBCULTURE: biggest problem. - based on accepting the validity of official crime stats
belief that most crime is by wc young men. but others challange this view. it isnt developed
SUBCULTURE: criticism david matza
too much reaserch into gangs is deterministic. mesning that they cant escape. their therefore commiting to a deviant lifestyle. but he argues that this isnt the case and that many young men simply drift in and out of criminal activity
SUBCULTURE: social actionist theory crit
young men are targeted andpicked by the police. labelling. m/c get away with ty more. marx say CJS is biased
R: what do they think of crime
a real problem to be tackled. and not just a social construction created by the control agencies.
- raise in crime
- widespread fear of crime
- other theories have failed to offer realistic solutions
RR: where had the rr approach been influenctioal and why
james wilson
uk usa
james q wilson was a adviser on crime to president reagon. provided the justification for the widely adopted politics like zero tolerance of street crime
RR: how do rr views on crime correspond closely with those of neo- conservative govs during the 1970-80.
policy makers argued that nothing works - criminologists had produced many theories of crime, but no workable solutions to curb rising crime rate
rr: best way to reduce crime.
through control and punishment, rather then rehabilitating offenders or tackling causes of ccrime such as poverty
rr: realists critisise other theories how?
for failing to offer any practical solitions to the problem of rising crime
Also regard labelling and criticsl criminologunas too sympathetic
RR: Do right realists, reject the Idea put forward of Marxist or not & examples
They reject that idea.. And also for others that structure or economic factors are the cause of crime like poverty. For example, they point out that the old tend to be poor, you have very low crime rate.
rr: what are the three causes of crime for Right realists
Individual, biological differences, inadequate Socialisation and the individuals rational choice
rr: wilson &. herrnstein
Put forward a biosocial theory of criminal behaviour. In the view, crime is caused by a combination of biological and social factors.
rr: biological differences
Make some people innately more strongly predisposed to commit crime than others. For example, personality traits like risktaking and aggressiveness
rr: Herrnstein & murry
Argue that the main cause of crime is low intelligence, which they also says biologically determined
rr: Socialisation and the underclass cause for crime.
Effective socialisation decreases the risk, as it involves learning, self control and internalising. Moral values are right and wrong. The best agency of socialisation is the nuclear family.
rr: Charles Murray View on growing underclass
Argues that the crime rate is increasing because of a growing on the class or new rubble. They are defined by their deviant behaviour and failed to socialise their children. This is a result of welfare dependency.
It has led to the decline of marriage and growth of loan, parent families because women and children can live off benefits. Means the men no longer has to take responsibility for supporting their family.
rr: Lone parent and absent fathers on Socialisation and the underclass & case
Learn mothers are ineffective, socialisation agents, especially for boys. Absent fathers, me and the boys (to discipline, inappropriate male role models. Young males tend to other old adult delinquent. They gain status through crying rather than supporting the family. Is there a steady job
bannet et al
rr: What is rational choice theory?
Assumes that individuals have free will, and the power of reason
rr: ron clarke
Argue that the decision to commit crime is a choice based on rational calculation of the likely consequences
rr: view On costs of crime Wilson
Cost of crime hello, this is my crime rate has increased as there is often a little risk of being caught
rr: (felson) =
Routine activity theory. Routine activity theory. He argues that the crimes occur. There must be a motivated offender a suitable target in the absence of a capable Guardian.
rr ; Criticisms of the right realist explanation of the causes of crime
Ignores wider structural causes such as poverty
It overstates offenders, rationality, and how far they make cost benefit calculations before committing a crime
It’s view of criminals rational actors conflicts with its change. Their behaviour is determined by biological Actors and socialisation
rr: Do right realists think that it is good to try to deal with the causes of crime
No, since these cannot be easily changed. They say practical measures to make crime less attractive. Instead, the focus is on control, containment and punishment of offenders rather than eliminating the underlying causes or rehabilitating them.
