FUNCTIONALIM & STRAIN THEORIES of CRIME Flashcards
Explain the FUNCTIONALIST Viewpoint
- see SOCIETY BASED on VALUE CONSENSUS - see MEMBERS of SOCIETY as SHARING a COMMON CULTURE - Shared NORMS and VALUES - which PRODUCE SOCIAL SOLIDARITY
- DEVIANCE is INEVITABLE and BENEFICIAL
MERTON’s STRAIN THEORY - start of Paragraph
- CRIME OCCURS WHEN there AREN’T ENOUGH LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES for PEOPLE to ACHIEVE the NORMAL SUCCESS of a SOCIETY
- is a STRAIN BETWEEN the END GOAL and the MEANS To GET GOAL which Leads to Crime
- ARGUED when INDIVIDUALS are FACED with a GAP BETWEEN the GOALS (e.g. due to lack finance) AND their CURRENT STATUS
What does MERTON mean by ADAPTATIONS
are 5 Different ADAPTATIONS, DEPENDING on WHETHER an INDIVIDUAL ACCEPTS REJECTS or REPLACES APPROVED CULTURAL GOALS and the LEGITIMATE MEANS of ACHIEVING THEM
Name MERTON’S 5 ADAPTATIONS - explain 3
- CONFORMITY - non deviant adaptation to strain - people that Accept the Culturally Approved Gols and Strive to Achieve them Legitmately
- INNOVATION - people who Accept the Goal But Turn to Illegitimate Means Such as Theft or Fraud to Achieve It
- RITUALISM
- RETREATISM - people who Reject Both the Goals and the Legitimate Means of Achieving them and Become Dropouts in Society -> turn to Crime through Drugs and Become Addicts
- REBELLION
What does MERTON’s STRAIN THEORY Show? - evaluation
shows how Both NORMAL and DEVIANT BEHAVIOUR can ARISE FROM the SAME MAINSTREAM GOALS
those DEVIANT are MORE LIKELY to Be W/C individuals as They’re MORE LIKELY to REJECT LEGITAMTE MEANS or ACHIEVING GOALS due to Issues such as material deprivation for example
What is a CRTICISM of MERTON’S STRAIN THEORY
- TOO DETERMINISTIC - NOT ALL W/C people TURN To CRIME, SOMETHING ELSE would be NEEDED to EXPLAIN WHY SOME of them DO and SOME DON’T ; e.g. Subcultural Strain Theories
What are SUB-CULTURAL STARIN THEORIES and example sociologist
See DEVIANCE as the PRODUCT of a DELINQUENT SUBCUTURE with DIFFERENT VALUES from THOSE of MAINSTREAM SOCIETY.
What did COHEN argue , drawing on Merton’s strain theory?
- BLOCKED OPPORTUNITIES to SUCCEED LEAD YOUNG W/C Males to Form DELINQUENT SUBCULTURES.
- these INDIVIDUALS are UNABLE to ACHIEVE STATUS In EDUCATION and THEREFORE SUFFER From STATUS FRUSTRATION
- they LOOK to OBTAIN STATUS by FORMING SUBCULTURAL GROUPS with SIMILAR PEERS and CONSTRUCT an ALTERNATIVE STATUS HIERARCHY
What does COHEN say about SUBCULTURAL VALUES in W/C Delinquent Subcultures?
values Are SPITE, MALICE, HOSTILITY and CONTEMPT for THOSE OUTSIDE IT
What does COHEN’s ALTERNATIVE STATUS HIERARCHY involve?
Involves SUBVERTING the NORMS and VALUES of SOCIETY , PRAISING What SOCIETY CONDEMS
e.g. Society Upholds Regular Alternative and Respect for Property, Whereas in the Subculture, Boys Gain Status from Vandalising Property and Traunting
What is the FUNCTION of SUBCULTURE’s for COHEN
it OFFERS the BOYS an ALTERNATIVE STATUS HIERARCHY in which THEY Can ACHIEVE.
Having FAILED IN the LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURE, the BOYS CREATE Their OWN ILLEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURE which they Can WIN STATUS FROM PEERS Through DELINQUENT ACTIONS
EVALUATION - POSITIVE - of COHEN’S Sub cultural strain theory
OFFERS an EXPLANATION of NON-UTILITARIAN DEVIANCE (crime providing monetary rewards)
Unlike Merton, whose Concept of Innovation Only Accounts for Crime with a profit motive, Cohen’s Ideas of status frustration, alternative status hierarchy helps to EXPLAIN NON-ECONMICY DELINQUENCY such as VANDILISM and TRUENCY
What is a CRITICISM of COHEN’S Subcultural Strain theory
he ASSUMES that W/C START off SHARING M/C SUCCESS GOALS ONLY to REJECT These WHEN They FAIL.
he IGNORES the POSSIBILITY That They DIDN’T SHARE THESE GOALS In the FIRST PLACE and so NEVER SAW THEMSELVES As FAILURES
What did DURKHEIM argue about CRIME
CRIME & DEVIANCE aren’t only Normal but a UNIVERSAL and INEVITABLE PART of ALL SOCIETIES
DURKHEIM - Explain 2 MECHANISMS Society has In Order to ACHIEVE SOCIAL SOLIDARITY
- SOCIALISATION - Instills the Shared Culture Into Members. This Helps Ensure that Indivduals Internalise the Same Norms and Values, and that they Feel it Right to Act in Ways that Society Requires
- SOCIAL CONTROL - Mechanisms Include Rewards for Conformity and Punishments for Deviance -> Helps Ensure Individuals Behave in the Way Society Expects.
The CONSEQUENCE of RAPID SOCIAL CHANGE RESULTED in ANOMIE (normlessness)
