Durkheim's Functionalist Theory

Question 1

Why do functionalists see crime and universal and inevitable?

Answer 1

• Not everyone is equally effectively socialised into the shared norms, so some individuals will be prone to deviate.
• In complex modern societies, there’s a diversity of values. Different groups develop their own subcultures with distinctive norms and values, which mainstream culture may see as deviant.
• Durkheim argues that modern societies have more anomie (normlessness). This is because modern societies have a specialised division of labour. which leads to individuals becoming more different from one another, which weakens the collective conscience and results in higher levels of deviance

Question 2

Describe boundary maintenance as a positive function of crime, as outlined by Durkheim

Answer 2

• Crime produces a reaction from society, uniting its members in condemnation of the wrongdoer and reinforcing their commitment to the shared norms and values.
• Durkheim argues this explains the function of punishment, as it reaffirms society’s shares rules and reinforces social solidarity, and discourages others from rule breaking.

Question 3

Describe adaption and change as a positive function of crime, as outlined by Durkheim

Answer 3

• Durkheim argues that all change starts with an act of deviance. Individuals with new ideas must not be completely supressed by the weight of social control.
• There must be a reason for them to challenge the existing norms, and this may initially appear as deviance.
• But in the long run their values may give rise to a new culture and make adaptive changes.

Question 4

Give an example of 9/11 as performing the positive functions of crime

Answer 4

• After the attack on the Twin Towers, the world came together to express their concern, anger and anguish (social solidarity/boundary maintenance) and it led to greater awareness of airport security (adaption and change)
• However it did lead to fragmentation between individuals due to marginalisation towards Muslims

Question 5

What happens if there’s too much or little crime?

Answer 5

• It’s a signal of malfunctioning of the social system as too much crime threatens to tear the bond of society apart.
• Too little means that society is repressing and controlling its members too much, preventing individual freedom and change

Question 6

Describe 2 other positive functions of crime

Answer 6

• Davis argues prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release of men’s sexual frustrations without threatening the monogamous nuclear family
• Cohen argues it’s a warning that an institution isn’t functioning properly. e.g. high rates of truancy may tell us there’s a problem with the education system and that policy-makers need to make appropriate changes to it

Question 7

Give criticisms of the functionalist theory of crime

Answer 7

• Functionalists explain the existence of crime in terms of its supposed function (social solidarity), but this doesn’t mean society creates crime with the intention of strengthening solidarity. So, just because crime does these things, it isn’t necessarily why it exists in the first place
• Functionalism ignores how deviance might affect different groups or individuals within society. e.g. prostitution may be ‘functional’ as a safety valve for male sexual frustrations, but it isn’t functional for the illegally trafficked sex worker who has to meet his needs