unit 2 sociological theories of criminality - functionalist theories

Question 1

what is durkheim’s key idea?

Answer 1

crime is the inevitable result of inadequate socialisation/anomie

Question 2

the crime performs 4 functions.

Answer 2

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Question 3

boundary maintenance

Answer 3

crime unites society’s members against wrongdoers, reinforcing the boundary between right and wrong

Question 4

social change

Answer 4

for society to progress, individuals with new ideas must challenge existing norms and values - this is deviance at first

Question 5

safety valve: davis

Answer 5

for example prostitution acts to release men’s sexual frustrations without threatening the nuclear family

Question 6

warning light

Answer 6

deviance indicates that a society isn’t functioning properly so action can be taken to fix it

Question 7

what is a strength of durkheim’s study?

Answer 7

first to recognise that crime can have positive functions for society

Question 8

what are two limitations of durkheim’s study?

Answer 8

does not suggest what the right amount of crime is for society to function properly, crime is not functional for all - e.g victims

Question 9

what is merton’s strain theory key idea?

Answer 9

crime is the result of unequal access to society’s goal of wealth

Question 10

what are blocked opportunities?

Answer 10

not all have equal chance to achieve wealth - this creates strain for working class people who cannot access wealth legitimately

Question 11

four deviant adaptions to the strain.

Answer 11

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Question 12

innovation

Answer 12

accept the goal but find illegal ways to achieve it - utilitarian crimes

Question 13

ritualism

Answer 13

give up striving for success. plod along in dead-end job

Question 14

retreatism

Answer 14

reject goal and means to achieve. drop-outs e.g drunks, vagrants

Question 15

rebellion

Answer 15

reject goals and means, replacing them with new ones in order to change society - political radicals and alternative cultures e.g hippies

Question 16

what are two strengths of merton’s theory?

Answer 16

shows how normal and deviant behaviour arise from the same goals, explains why most crime in statistics is property crime and why working class crime rates are higher

Question 17

what are three limitations?

Answer 17

ignores crimes of wealthy, only sees deviance as an individual response, focuses in utilitarian only

Question 18

what is a utilitarian crime?

Answer 18

crimes committed for financial gain

Question 19

what is an anomie?

Answer 19

‘normlessness’ society has multiple sets of norms and values that are often conflicting