Crime 1 - Functionalism, strain, and subcultural theories Flashcards
(19 cards)
Durkheim
What do Functionalists view society as a stable system based on?
a value consensus, binds individuals into a harmonious unit
Durkheim
Why do functionalists believe that crime is inevitable in society?
-some individuals are inadequately socialised
-complex divisions of labour and diverse subcultures
-anomie, shared rules of behaviour becoming unclear
Durkheim
What are the two primary positive functions of crime that Durkheim identified?
Boundary Maintenance: Crime provokes a reaction, uniting society against the wrongdoer, punishment reaffirms shared rules and reinforces solidarity
Adaptation and Change: All change begins with deviance; new ideas challenge existing norms, suppressing deviance prevents necessary adaptive changes
Functions of crime
Davis
Safety Valve, argued prostitution releases men’s sexual frustrations without threatening the nuclear family
Functions of crime
A.K. Cohen
Warning Light, suggested deviance indicates an institution is malfunctioning
Durkheim
What are some criticisms of Durkheim?
-Durkheim doesn’t specify how much deviance is required for society to function
-Explaining crime by its function doesn’t necessarily explain its existence
Merton’s Strain Theory
When does Merton argue that deviance arises?
-argued that deviance arises when people cannot achieve socially approved goals through legitimate means
His theory combines:
-structural factors: Unequal opportunity structures in society
-cultural factors: Strong emphasis on success goals, weaker emphasis on legitimate means
Merton’s strain theory - The American Dream
What does Merton discuss with the American dream?
-The “American Dream” emphasizes “money success.”
-Americans are expected to pursue this through education and hard work.
-The ideology claims meritocracy, but poverty and discrimination block opportunities.
-This strain leads to frustration and pressure to resort to illegitimate means.
-American culture emphasizes achieving success at any cost, de-emphasizing playing by the rules.
Deviant Adaptations to Strain
What does Merton identify as the five adaptations to strain, based on an individual’s position in the social structure?
Conformity: accepting culturally approved goals and striving to achieve them legitimately.
Innovation: accepting money success but using illegitimate means, like thef, typical of those lacking legitimate opportunities.
Ritualism: giving up on the goal but internalising legitimate means and following rules for their own sake.
Retreatism: rejecting both the goals and legitimate means, dropping out of society.
Rebellion: replacing existing goals and means with new ones to bring about social change.
Evaluation of Merton
What are some evaluations made?
-Functionalism assumes crime has positive functions for society but ignores its impact on individuals (victims).
-Merton views American society as tending towards anomie, where norms are too weak to restrain people.
Strengths of Merton’s Approach
What are these strengths?
-Shows how normal and deviant behaviour can arise from the same mainstream goals.
-Explains patterns in official statistics: most crime is property crime, and working-class crime rates are higher due to limited opportunities.
Subcultural Strain Theories
What do these theories do?
-These theories build on and critique Merton’s theory, viewing deviance as a product of delinquent subcultures
A.K. Cohen: Status Frustration
What does A.K.Cohen agree with Merton about?
-agreed that deviance results from the lower classes’ inability to achieve mainstream success through legitimate means
A.K. Cohen: Status Frustration
What does Cohen argue about deviance?
-Merton sees deviance as an individual response, ignoring group deviance.
-Merton focuses on utilitarian crime, ignoring non-utilitarian crimes (assault, vandalism).
-Working-class boys face anomie in the middle-class education system, lacking the skills to achieve.
-This leads to status frustration.
Alternative Status Hierarchy
Cohen
Subcultures offer an illegitimate opportunity structure, providing an alternative status hierarchy, subcultures invert mainstream values, condemning what society praises
Cloward and Ohlin: Three Subcultures
Do they agree with Merton?
Yes, Cloward and Ohlin agreed with Merton that working-class youths are denied legitimate opportunities and that their deviance stems from this
Cloward and Ohlin: Three Subcultures
What were the three subcultures they identified?
Criminal Subcultures:
Provide youths with an apprenticeship in utilitarian crime.
Arise in stable neighbourhoods with a hierarchy of professional adult crime.
Adult criminals select and train youths, offering criminal career opportunities.
Conflict Subcultures:
Arise in areas of high population turnover, preventing stable criminal networks.
Illegitimate opportunities are limited to loosely organised gangs.
Violence releases frustration and provides status through winning territory.
Retreatist Subcultures:
‘Double failures’ who fail in both legitimate and illegitimate structures turn to drug use.
Evaluation of Cloward and Ohlin
What are some evaluations about their beliefs?
-Ignore crimes of the wealthy and the wider power structure, over-predicting working-class crime.
-Draw boundaries too sharply between types; subcultures often combine characteristics.
-Like Cohen, assume deviant subcultures react to failure, wrongly assuming shared mainstream goals.
