Crime and Deviance: Functionalist, Strain and subcultural theories

Question 1

Value consensus

Answer 1

Common set of beliefs in society

Question 2

Culture

Answer 2

Customs/ideas of particular groups

Question 3

Socialisation

Answer 3

Socialising into norms

Question 4

Social control

Answer 4

Control behaviour through rewards/sanctions

Question 5

Why is crime found in all societies?

Answer 5

Inequal socialisation and diversity of lifestyle, subcultures

Question 6

Why are modern societies experiencing crime?

Answer 6

Anomie - Lack in social standards, rules losing influence, wider division of labour

Question 7

Two positive crime functions

Answer 7

Boundary maintenance, Adaptation and change

Question 8

Define Boundary maintenance

Answer 8

Crime produces reactions, social solidarity through stigmatising criminals

Question 9

Define Adaptation and change

Answer 9

Deviance from new ideas that challenge laws, stopping these halts society

Question 10

Davis Prostitution function

Answer 10

Prostitution releases male frustration without harming family

Question 11

Polsky Pornography function

Answer 11

Pornography channels away from Adultery that harms family

Question 12

A.K. Cohen Institution function

Answer 12

Shows when institutions are underperforming i.e Truancy

Question 13

Erikson police sustaining and teenage oats function

Answer 13

Police sustain crime rather than getting rid, ‘sowing their wild oats’ to cope with adolescence

Question 14

Why is Functionalism useful for Crime and Deviance?

Answer 14

Deviance is integral and has hidden functions

Question 15

3 criticisms of Functionalism (Amount, micro-approach and Isolation)

Answer 15

Durkheim provides no amount of how much crime is needed
Ignores the micro-approach of individuals
May cause isolation i.e. Women being attacked

Question 16

How do people engage in deviance?

Answer 16

Unable to achieve socially approved legitimate goals

Question 17

Structural factors

Answer 17

Societies unequal opportunity structure

Question 18

Cultural factors

Answer 18

Emphasis on success and weaker emphasis on legitimate means

Question 18

What two factors cause strain for individuals according to Merton?

Answer 18

The goals a culture needs to succeed
What the structure allows legitimately

Question 19

How do Americans pursue goals?

Answer 19

Legitimate means: self-discipline etc.

Question 20

What factors prevent pursuing goals?

Answer 20

Poverty, discrimination and schooling

Question 21

Strain to anomie

Answer 21

Lack of money success = frustration = illegitimate success

Question 22

Why is there pressure to deviate in America?

Answer 22

Emphasis to win the game rather than playing by rules

Question 23

Conformity

Answer 23

Accepting approved goals legitimately, MC

Question 24

Innovation

Answer 24

Accept money success illegitimately, Lower-MC

Question 25

Ritualism

Answer 25

Giving up but following rules for own sake

Question 26

Retreatism

Answer 26

Rejection goals and legitimacy i.e. Psychotics

Question 27

Rebellion

Answer 27

Rejecting goals, replacing with revolutionary change i.e. Hippies and Radicalism

Question 28

Two crime patterns Merton defines

Answer 28

American crime is utilitarian property based Lower class crime is higher due to illegitimate means

Question 29

5 criticisms of Merton (Over-representing, Ruling class, Money consensus, Utilitarian, Groups)

Answer 29

Over-represents WC crime Ignores ruling class creating laws that forces deviance Assumes everyone shares money consensus Focuses on only utilitarian crimes Ignores group deliquency

Question 30

Subculture

Answer 30

Cultural group with specific values

Question 31

What do subcultures offer to members?

Answer 31

Alt opportunity structure to those denied legitimate success

Question 32

How are subcultures functional to members?

Answer 32

A solution to societies problems

Question 33

Cohen: WC crime phenomenon

Answer 33

Results from inability to achieve mainstream success legitimately

Question 34

Cohens criticisms of Merton

Answer 34

Ignores deviance by groups Focuses on utilitarian crime only

Question 35

Why do WC boys experience anomie?

Answer 35

Middle class school, suffer cultural deprivation which leads to frustration and rejection MC values

Question 36

Values of subcultures and comparison to societies values

Answer 36

Hostile and contempt, inverted to societies values

Question 37

How does subculture offer alternative status hierarchies?

Answer 37

Creation of own illegitimate opportunity which they can gain status through

Question 38

Criticism of Cohen (Initial ideas)

Answer 38

Assumes all WC boys share initial ideas with MC boys Not all see themselves as failures.

Question 39

Criminal subcultures

Answer 39

'Apprentice' in a crime career, forms in crime subcultures were youths learn from adult crime hierarchy

Question 40

Conflict subcultures

Answer 40

High population turnover leads to social disorganisation and prevents crime networks. Illegitimate gangs using violence to release tension created

Question 41

Retreatist subcultures

Answer 41

Double failures fail illegitimately and legitimately turn to illegal drug use to retreat from the system

Question 42

Cultural transmission theory

Answer 42

Criminal tradition is transmitted gen to gen

Question 43

Differential association theory

Answer 43

Deviance is behaviour learned through social interaction

Question 44

Social disorganisation theory

Answer 44

Product of social disorganisation, population turnover and migration leads to instability and disruption. They fail to control people

Question 45

Evaluation of Cloward and Ohlin (Wealthy, power, drug trade mixture, reactive, independent, behaviour in subcultures)

Answer 45

They ignore crimes by the wealthy They ignore power structures created by law enforcers Drug trade is a mix of disorganised crime and conflict in which subcultures cannot mix Assumes everyone has the mainstream goal Independent subculture - Does not value success and doesnt view themselves as failures Delinquents drift in/out of subcultures and are not strong committed.

Question 46

What 3 goals may young people pursue?

Answer 46

Popularity Autonomy Treated like adults or real men

Question 47

Why may middle class youths be delinquent?

Answer 47

Fail to achieve popularity, autonomy or adult respect

Question 48

Messner and Rosenfelds anomie theory (Winner takes it all, economic goals value, free-market capitalism and welfare spend)

Answer 48

The winner takes it all mindset exerts pressure to be criminal by encouraging an anomic cultural environment in which people are encouraged 'anything goes.' Economic goals are valued the most and impacts institutions such as schools Free-market capitalism and lack of welfare spend means crime will always exist in places such as the USA.

Question 49

Downes and Hansen evidence towards Messner and Rosenfeld about welfare spend?

Answer 49

Societies that have more welfare spend have less imprisonment

Question 50

Savelsburg: Rise in crime during post-communist society

Answer 50

Capitalist goals of having money success in 1990's replaced communist values