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Criminology Unit 2 > Sociological Theories Of Crime > Flashcards

Sociological Theories Of Crime Flashcards

1
Q

What are the four sociological theories of crime?

A

Functionalism
Marxism
Interactionism
Realism

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2
Q

What do functionalists argue about crime in society?

A

Believe crime is functional for society- helps society run smoothly
Crime only becomes dysfunctional when the rate of crime is too low or too high

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3
Q

Who is the main functionalist and what does he argue about crime ?

A

Durkheim

He argues crime strengthens social cohesion, reinforces value consensus and sets boundaries

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4
Q

How does functionalists argue crime promotes social solidarity?

A

Shared outrage leads to people expressing public temper; we all share the same values, referred to as collective conscience

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5
Q

Who refers to deviance as a ‘safety valve’?

What is an example of this?

A

Davis

Letting of steam through prostitution is less threatening than committing rape- prevents worse crime

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6
Q

How does crime set boundaries?

A

Once someone commits a crime they are punished, showing others in society what is accepted and what is not; public punishing reinforces this

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7
Q

How is Durkheim criticised?

A

He does not explain why an individual commits crime- if we all follow the same value consensus there shouldn’t be crime
Doesn’t consider the negative impacts of crime
Doesn’t take into account those with powers to dodge the law

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8
Q

Who came up with the concept of the ‘strain theory’?

A

Merton

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9
Q

What is the ‘strain theory’?

A

There are clear goals in society and means to achieve them, however when people can achieve these goals through legitimate means they seek alternatives

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10
Q

What does Merton mean by a strain towards anomie?

A

If alternative means become accepted and even preferred then anomie will occur- goal becomes more important than the means

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11
Q

What are Merton’s five modes of adaption?

A

Conformity- earning money in legitimate ways eg, working hard at school
Innovation- individual has goals but not the means, is prepared to ‘bend’ the rules
Retreatism- those struggling to achieve may drop out of society, often reject family/friends
Ritualism- lowering aspirations as some don’t strive for great wealth; lack ambition
Rebellions- reject society’s goals but replace them with alternatives

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12
Q

How is Merton’s theory criticised?

A

A person may fall in more than one category of the modes
More goals in life rather than financial success eg family love etc
Déviance can be communal not just individual

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13
Q

What do interactionists argue about crime?

A

Believe crime is subjective; result of judgments and assumptions
Labels are given which influence people to turn to crime

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14
Q

What does interactionists believe about official statistics?

A

They are socially constructed

Not a true reflection of crime

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15
Q

What is a ‘master status’

A

When someone is constantly given a label people respond to this and they are know as the label- link behaviour to this

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16
Q

What is self fulfilling prophecy?

A

Person who’s given a label lives up to the label which affects their self-concept

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17
Q

Who referred to the two types of deviance and what are they?

A

Edwin Lemert
Primary deviance- deviant act not socially labelled as deviant
Secondary deviance- an act labelled as deviant

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18
Q

What is the impact of public labelling?

A

Media demonises people socially labelled as deviant- creates moral panic making those appear as folk devils
Deviancy amplification

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19
Q

What are the studies on labelling?

A

Plummer: ‘deviant career’- when a person comes out they get labelled as homosexual which becomes their master status

Malinowski: studied Trobriand islands, found that when someone was public-ally accused of incest there was uproar when normally people turned a blind eye.

Becker: only when something is public is when it becomes a serious issue

20
Q

What are the criticisms of interactionists?

A

Ignores other social factors influencing crime; socialisation, attitudes, opportunities.
Not everyone who is labelled turns to crime.
Most people are labelled after committing an act of crime eg rapist/murderer.
Cant be certain labelling increases deviancy.

21
Q

What is deviancy amplification?

A

Once moral panic has been created in society, those labelled as deviant appear as folk devils which marginalises and alienates them in society.
This amplifies the situation as that deviant person finds it difficult to change the publics opinion.

22
Q

What are the impacts of deviancy amplification?

A

Police crackdown of certain groups in the public; stop and searches
Increase in publicity in the media
Stereotyping

23
Q

What do Marxists argue about crime?

A

Capitalism creates crime in society as there is inequalities between the classes in society.
Those in lower classes don’t have the same opportunities as higher classes so turn to illegitimate ways to achieve

24
Q

What are the names used for the rich and the poor in society.

A 
Rich= Bourgeoisie
Poor= Proletariat
25
Q

What do Marxists argue about social control?

A 
Formal and informal control reinforce this capitalist view on crime.
Different social classes are policed differently; working class are more heavily policed so therefore more crime is detected
26
Q

What does Marxist Box argue?

A

Explains murder is ‘avoidable killing’
For example- a director of a company cuts health and safety regulations to save money but an accident occurs where people die. These deaths were avoidable but not seen as that serious.

Usually committed by the rich and powerful - unpunished

27
Q

What does Marxist Bonger argue about crime?

A

There is a clear link between crime and economic conditions

Crime is caused by poverty- poor conditions, lack of money

28
Q

How can crime be seen as a rational response?

A

Depending on someone’s situation crime can be seen as rational
For example- a mother has no money and needs to feed her children, she steals so she can provide

29
Q

What does Marxist Chambliss argue about crime?

A

Capitalism creates the desire to want the latest things and therefore people are willing to turn to crime to access these
For example trainers and technology

30
Q

What are the 2 types of realism?

A

Right and Left Realism

31
Q

What do right realists believe about crime?

A

They see crime from a political perspective and argue we should get tougher on crime.

32
Q

Who is the leading right realist?

A

Charles Murray

33
Q

Why does Charles Murray say someone is more likely to commit crime?

A

He argues that those who don’t have strong ‘social bonds’ are more likely to commit crime.
eg: how attached someone is to family/friends
commitment towards their job
strong beliefs/morals

34
Q

What does Murray say about the ‘underclass’?

A

Boys who grow up in the underclass will end up turning to crime to prove their masculinity - as they don’t have the appropriate role models

35
Q

What do right realists argue crime is a result of?

A

Poor social control

36
Q

What right realist suggests long term trends in crime are due to 3 factors?

A

Wilson

37
Q

What are right realist Wilson’s 3 factors for long term trends in crime?

A
  • young males are aggressive and have short-term prospects
  • social and cultural changes in society, that influence peoples norms/values
  • economy/availability of jobs at certain times
38
Q

What are the criticisms of right realism?

A

Focus too much on street crime

Accept crime statistics as realistic

ignore the wider causes of crime- poverty etc

ignore the gap between the rich and the poor- creates resentment

39
Q

What are the strengths of right realism?

A

Offers a more realistic approach to tackle crime

Research by Flood Page et al supports the view of decline of the family - lone parent boys are found to be more likely to offend

40
Q

What do left realists believe about crime?

A

They believe crime occurs due to inequalities created by capitalism

41
Q

Why do left realists argue capitalism creates crime?

A

Capitalism encourages people to want the latest things - people will commit crime to have the desirable things in society.
Those motivated by consumerism and materialism turn to crime

42
Q

Why do left realists say poorer people turn to crime?

A

They are excluded in society- steal to try and fit in

They live in relative deprivation

43
Q

What do left realists say needs to happen to tackle the problem pop crime?

A

Gradual social change- wealth distributed more equally

Education improved for all

Raise living standards

44
Q

What do both realists argue about punishments?

A

Right: believe punishments should be tougher on crime
Left: believe punishments should not be tougher, rehabilitation should take place

45
Q

What are the criticisms of left realists?

A

Doesn’t explain why not all people in relative deprivation turn to crime

Is a mixture of other theories

Fails to address white collar crime

46
Q

Who came up with the ‘broken windows’ idea?

A

Wilson and Kelling

47
Q

What is the broken windows idea?

A

Wilson and Kelling argue that areas where there is low levels of crime can escalate into potentially more crime:

Good people move out of an area and deviant move in influencing more crime- the worse an area looks the more deviant the area is.

Criminology Unit 2 (7 decks)

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