crime and deviance topic one - functionalist and sub cultural theories Flashcards
what do functionalists see crime as
inevitable and universal
why does Durkheim think crime and deviance are found in all societies
- not everyone is adequately socialised intro the shared norms and values so they are likely to deviate
-“crime is normal…an integral part of all healthy societies”
in Durkheim’s view what weakens the collective conscience and why
anomie- since modern societies have a complex division of labour, individuals become increasingly different
define anomie
normlessness - a breakdown in social norms, values, and expectations, leading to a state of confusion and chaos
the 4 positive functions of crime
- boundary maintenance
- adaptation and change
- warning device
- safety valve
describe boundary maintenance
- members of society are in a value consensus
- when someone deviates, the reaction from society unites its members
- this reinforces their commitment to their shared values
describe adaptation and change
- Durkheim
- if every individual is tied to social norms there will be no incentive to think of new values or ways of living
- society will stagnate
- therefore the scope to deviate and challenge existing norms in necessary to make adaptive change
describe warning device
- Cohen
- provides an alert that an institution in society is not functioning properly
describe safety valve
- Davis - prostitution aids with the release of men’s sexual frustrations without threatening the monogamous nuclear family
how has Erikson developed Durkheim’s ideas
- society is organised to promote deviance
- the real role of agencies of social control is to sustain a healthy level of crime
how can the functionalist theory be criticised for being ignorant
- though crime strengthens solidarity, it is not with the intention of doing so
- ignores how crime affects different individuals, too deterministic of an approach
what is Merton’s strain theory
people engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals legitimately
5 types of adaptation to the strain
- conformity
- innovation
- ritualism
- retreatism
- rebellion
what two factors does Merton combine to explain crime and deviance
- structural factors such as society’s unequal opportunities
- cultural factors such as the strong emphasis on success
- therefore deviance is the strain between the goal of achieving success and what the institutional structure allows them to achieve legitimately
describe the American Dream
- Americans expected to achieve success through legitimate means since society is meritocratic
- in reality, this is not the case and disadvantaged groups are denied these opportunities
- this causes a strain —> frustration —-> pressure to resort to illegitimate means to succeed
conformity
accept the culturally approved goals and strive to achieve this legitimately, this is most often the middle class
innovation
accept the goal of material success but create illegitimate ways to achieve this such as theft
ritualism
have given up on the goals, but still follow the rules as they have internalised the need to live legitimately, they are typically middle class office workers who work routine jobs
retreatism
reject goals and legitimate means and become dropouts
