Functionalism Flashcards
Functionalist View
Crime is func & necessary - would still be crime & deviance in Soc of saints
Boundary Maintenance
Durkheim
Reinforces VC via policing margins - formal & informal sanctions = reward / punish dev - shared disapproval of behav strengthens soc solidarity
Crime maintains boundaries - what is acceptable made known by arrest of others
Social Change
Durkheim
Leads to social change = organic process started where Soc responds positively to dev behav - becomes normal eg changes to law on homo in 20th C
Safety Valve
Davis
Safety valve - Davies said dev acts as SV eg prostitution as a release for male sexual tension
Warning Signs
Clinard / Cohen
an inc in certain type of crim / dev can = indicator of something in soc X function properly & change = needed
Durkheim A03
Doesn’t quantify how much enough crime is
Macro approach ignores indu impact doesn’t say why some m likely to commit crime
Doesn’t always promote solidarity - can lead to isolation
Assumes ppl follow the masses
Ignores concept of power - who makes laws - Marxism
Realist Criticism of Durkheim
Criticise idea that crime = normal & func
Crime = v real problem for victims & that the socio of crime should inform policy makers how to prevent crime
Merton’s Strain Theory
Everyone = socialised to ach American Dream - consensus = success & material wealth should = goals no equal access to goals= strain between Soc encour goals & Soc acceptable means of achieving them
Ppl socialised to believing that to achieve had to work hard = meritocracy - ppl made adaptations
Conformity
Adaptations
Mems of Soc conform success & goals & normative means of reaching them - strive via accepted channels
Innovation
Adaptations
Reject normative means of achievement turn to dev means in particular crime
Ritualism
Adaptations
= dev - largely abandon commonly held success goals
Retreatism
Adaptations
Applies to psychotics, autists, pariahs, outcasts, vagrants, vagabonds, tramps, drunks & drug addicts - have strongly internalised both cul goals & institutionalised means yet = unable to achieve success so give up
Rebellion
Adaptations
Rejection of success goals & institutionalised means = replaced by dif goals & means eg Marx
Merton A03
Deterministic
Takes crime stats at face value
Assumes goal & value consensus
Only talks about utilitarian crimes for monetary gain
Ignores group delinquency
Doesn’t consider who goals fav - work hard - money - cap
Positive Evaluation Merton
Explains anomie in a detailed way = product of strain between Soc accepted goals & Soc accepted means of achieving them
Based on 20 C US but is transferrable to any western, developed capitalist country
Hirschi Bonds of Attachment (1969)
= 4 BofA that keep ppl linked to value consensus & ensure social control & order
Means those who don’t have family attachments, work commitments, get involved in school / have a clear moral code - someone marginalised & young
Attachment.
How much do we care about what others think?
Might particularly care what spouse / children think
Commitment
Bonds of Attachment
What have we got to lose?
Eg job - committing crime puts a lot at risk
Involvement
How involved are we w/ Soc - what takes up our time? If we work are we involved in group hobbies etc would we have time to commit crime?
Belief
To what extent do we believe following the law is the right thing to do?
How strong is our personal moral code?
Hirschi Positive A03
Asks what stops ppl offending = useful intros ideas how to prevent & ach Soc order - has influ policy makers = interested in how can promo attachment can be encour & dev red
Hirschi Negative A03
Doesn’t address why some have secure BofAs & why others = marg - Ms & Fems - no value consensus which benefits all - Soc is chara by conflict
Cap produces detached marg indus delib - creates unemploy reserve army of labour - keeps wages down
Status Frustration - The Delinquent Sub Culture
Cohen argued Merton = flawed:
1. Delinq = col X indu respon - join together = col respon
2. Cul dep accounts for WC underach = few avs to ach
3. doesn’t account for non utilitarian crime WC boys suffer SF - want to be successful but lack quals & skills - reject Soc & create own n’s & v’s in gang = active non-U crim - V’s tend to be the reverse of mainstream v’s
Cohen A03
develops ST = explan for non-U crime together = func for wide range of dev behav
idea sub culs consciously invert N’s & V’s of mainstream = crit if smash a bus shelter = unlikely conciously think soc would X
Lyng & Katz - indu m influ by boredom - seek buzz - could argue delinqs can = concious of how dev acts might provide access to rewards & status w/in group
