2.3 Sociological Theories Of Criminality

Question 1

Sociological theories-durkhiem-functionalist

Answer 1

Durkheim was a functionalist who believed society was a stable structure because everyone shared norms,values and beliefs and everyone agreed what was right and wrong thus produces solidarity

Question 2

What did Durkheim suggest shared norms and values meant for society

Answer 2

Durkheim recognised that crime was inevitable this was because in every society some people were inadequately socialised which meant that they didn’t share the same norms and therefore were likely to deviate understood that society contains lots of social groups so shared rules and behaviour less clear he called this ‘anomie’

Question 3

Name the four functions of crime- Durkheim

Answer 3

Boundary Maintenance:
Crime reminds us what’s right and wrong. When people break the rules, it shows everyone what’s not allowed, and society reacts by punishing or criticizing the behavior, which helps keep things in order
.
Adaptation and Change:
Crime can lead to change. Sometimes, when people break the rules, it shows that society’s rules need to be updated or improved. This helps society grow and adapt over time.

Safety Valve:
Crime can release tension. If people feel frustrated or stressed, certain minor crimes (like prostitution) can give them a way to blow off steam without causing bigger problems.

Warning Signal:
Crime can be a warning. If crime rates go up in certain areas, it can signal that something’s wrong in society, like poverty or inequality, and needs to be fixed

Question 4

Strengths of Durkheim

Answer 4

Crime Can Have Positive Functions:
Crime can help society stay balanced by reinforcing rules and encouraging change.

Looks at Society as a Whole:
Functionalism shows how different parts of society work together to keep things running smoothly.

Focuses on Stability and Order:
It highlights how institutions like family and education keep society stable and organized

Question 5

Limitations of Durkheim

Answer 5

Doesn’t Say How Much Crime is Right:

Functionalism doesn’t explain the right amount of crime for society to function properly.

Crime Isn’t Good for Everyone:
Not everyone benefits from crime, especially victims who suffer.

Doesn’t Explain Social Change:
Functionalism focuses on stability but doesn’t explain how or why societies change over time.

Ignores Inequality:
Functionalism overlooks how some groups take advantage of power and inequality in society.

Question 6

Merton sociological theory-functionalism

Answer 6

Argues the root cause of crime was due to unequal structure of society

Question 7

Explain more on Merton

Answer 7

Hard working school = wealth
However not everyone has the opportunity to access this so led to blocked opportunities this was because of poverty and inadequate schools this led to crime and deviant behaviour so they did this illegally

Question 8

Explain the other ways that can be categorised into 4 categories-Merton
Each categories results to different outcomes

Answer 8

Innovation-accept the goal but find criminal ways of achieving goals

Ritualism-gives up striving for success end up in a dead end job

Retreatism-dropouts who reflect both opinions they end up as vagrant and drug addicts

Rebellion- reject the options but replace with their own

Question 9

Strengths of mertons theory

Answer 9

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 10

Limitations of mertons

Answer 10

Ignores crimes of wealthy

Focus on Utilitarian Crime( money crimes don’t focus on like graffiti)

The theory doesn’t account for other factors that can influence criminal behavior, such as peer influence,

Question 11

Cohen- what did he suggest why people commit crime

Answer 11

Agreed with mertons strain theory that deviance results from lower class failure to achieve legitimate purposes he focuses on crime that’s not for financial gain e.g vandalism

Question 12

Explain cohen-status frustration

Answer 12

Working class boys end up at the bottom of school’s official status hierarchy and feel frustrated and worthless

Question 13

Explain the definition of an subculture

Answer 13

it’s when a specific group is held back or punished because their lifestyle or ideas don’t fit into the mainstream

Question 14

Cloward and ohlin three subcultures

Answer 14

Criminal subcultures- arise in areas when there is longstanding professional criminal network they select suitable youths to groom for money crimes and future criminal career

Conflict subcultures-Arise where the only criminal opportunities are within street gangs violence provides a release for frustration and leads to winning territory(status,materiality)

Retreatist subcultures-are made up if dropouts who have failed in both legitimate and illegitimate structures and are often based on drug use

Question 15

Strengths of cloward and ohlin subcultures

Answer 15

Subcultures Help Members
Subcultures help people by offering ways to reach goals when they can’t do it the usual, legal way.

Cloward and Ohlin explain that different neighborhoods provide different illegal opportunities, leading to different subcultures.

Question 16

Limitations of cloward and ohen subcultures

Answer 16

Not Everyone Shares the Same Goals
While some people turn to subcultures when they can’t achieve mainstream goals, others never share those goals and might turn to crime for different reasons.

Ignores Wealthy Crimes and Over-predicts Working-Class Crime:
The theory mostly focuses on working-class crime and overlooks crimes committed by the wealthy.

Real-life subcultures don’t always fit neatly into one of Cloward and Ohlin’s three types. Some subcultures mix traits from all three

Question 17

What is the idea of Marxism

Answer 17

Marxist criminology views crime as a product of social and economic inequalities inherent in capitalist systems. It argues that laws are designed and enforced to maintain the power of the ruling class, often disproportionately targeting the working class. This perspective emphasizes that the capitalist system itself can be “criminogenic,” meaning it creates conditions that encourage and make crime more likely

Question 18

Marxism-two classes

Answer 18

Society is divided into two main class groups - Bourgeoisie and Proletariat

Bourgeoisie- the ruling class. They own the means of production.
They exploit the working class for profit

Proletariat-The working class. They have to sell their labour in order to
e working

The working class. They have to sell their labour in order to survive

Question 19

Capitalism Causes Crime-Marxism

Answer 19

Exploitation:
For the working class living in poverty, crime might be the only way to survive.

Consumerism:
Advertising pushes people to commit crimes, like stealing, to afford things they’re made to want.

Alienation and Frustration:
Inequality makes people frustrated, leading some to commit crimes that aren’t about gaining money, but just acting out.

Greed and the Profit Motive:
Capitalism encourages competition, pushing people and companies to commit crimes to get ahead or make more money.

Question 20

Example to support Marxism

Answer 20

Out of 200 companies who had broken safety laws, only 3 were prosecuted

Question 21

Describe one sociological theory or criminality-Marxism

Answer 21

Marxism theory explains criminality as a result of class conflict there are two classes the upper class-Bourgeoisie creates law to protect their wealth and power while the working class- Proletariat may turn to crime due to poverty and inequality for example white collar crime crimes such as tax evasion are overlooked while street crimes like theft are heavily policed this demonstrates how the system favours the ruling class and punishes the working class disproportionately

Question 22

Strengths of Marxism

Answer 22

Shows how poverty can cause working class crime and how capitalism promotes greed and encourages ruling class crime too.

Shows how law making and enforcement are biased against the working class and in favour of the powerful

Question 23

Limitations of Marxism

Answer 23

Focuses on class and ignores the relationship between crime and other inequalities e.g. race or gender

Over predicts the amount of working class crime - not all poor people turn to crime.

Not all capitalist societies have high crime rates (however Marxists point out that in countries with little welfare provision, like the USA, the crime rates are higher).

Question 24

Right realism main idea

Answer 24

Crime is a real problem

Free will

Right realists view crime as a rational decision-making process, where potential offenders consider the potential benefits and risks of committing a crime

Right realists advocate for harsh punishments, including increased incarceration rates, to deter offenders.

They support a “zero-tolerance” approach to crime, arguing that even minor offenses should be dealt with severely

Right realists also advocate for situational crime prevention measures, such as installing surveillance cameras and improving security measures.

Question 25

Right realists believe crime is caused by three factors

Answer 25

Biological differences between individual-certain personality trait E.g aggressive Hernister and Murray(1994)-criminal behaviour linked to low IQ biologically passed down Inadequate socialisation Effective socialisation can reduce Individual going to offend as they are taught self control and values through socialisation right realists see the nuclear family as the best agency for socialisation Single parent family equals less socialisation and no male role model so no father no discipline or role model so young males will search for role models such as gangs this will lead to delinquent behaviour Offending is a rational choice Right realists argue that crime is higher because the cost of crime is law therefore criminals choose to commit crime as they believe punishment will not be severe and the reward is greater

Question 26

Strengths of right realisim

Answer 26

Has helped shaped governments research into crime A more practical approach to tackling crime-punishment May explain some opportunistic crimes such as petty theft Bennet & Wright: Burglars said risk of being caught was important in deciding decision to commit the crime

Question 27

Limitations of right realism

Answer 27

Focus is on young males and street crimes and ignore white collar crime Ignore societal problems such as poverty and low income Ignores the gap between rich and poor

Question 28

Definition of left realism

Answer 28

Left realists see the inequality in a capitalistic society and argue this is the root cause of crime they argue the main victims are disadvantaged groups such as ethnic minorities,working class and women Left realists advocate for practical solutions to address crime, such as improving policing, strengthening community ties, and tackling structural inequalities, rather than advocating for revolutionary changes.

Question 29

Three cause of crime-left realism

Answer 29

Relative deprivation- crime occurs when people feel deprived compared to others even if there basic needs are met they may feel disadvantaged by comparing themselves to wealthier individuals Subculture- when people experience deprivation or Exclusion they may form subcultures with their own norms and values sometimes leading to crimes Marginalisation- groups that lack representation or power in society may turn to crime as a way to express frustration

Question 30

Strength of left realism

Answer 30

Draws attention to the importance of poverty and inequality Dread attention to reality of street crimes

Question 31

Limitations of left realism

Answer 31

If fails to explain white collar crimes and ignores the norms done to the poor by the crimes of the powerful Forces on street crime Over predicts the amount of working class crime not everyone who experiences marginalisation and deprivation turn to crime It focuses on high crime inner city areas given an unrepresentative view and makes crime appear a greater problem that it is