Functionalist Flashcards
(17 cards)
Why did Durkheim think crime happens?
Crime is a normal and integral part of healthy societies
What is the negative function of crime? +ao2, ao3 ev
Anomie - Durkheim
The erosion of norms and values in society so people start to chase after their own selfish needs
London Riots 2011
Middlesbrough Riots 2024
Not everyone stole that were in the riots
Some tried protecting shops
What are the 4 positive functions of crime
Boundary maintenance
Safety valve
Adaption and change
Warning device
Boundary maintenance - Cohen
Society coming together in result of a known crime to condemn the wrongdoer
Manchester terror attack - Donations, signs by fans
Link boundary maintenance and folk devils
Cohen - media has an importance role in maintaining the boundaries through creating folk devils e.g Terrorism and Islamophobia, Mods and Rockers
Adaption and Change
ao2 + ao3ev
All change starts with an act of deviance
e.g Rosa Parks
Not all breaks in the law will always change the law
Safety valve - Davis
ao2, ao3 ev
Mechanism within society that allows individuals to express deviant impulses
Prostitution - help preserve the family by offering an outlet for male sexual needs that were not being met within a marriage as it is a safety valve to release sexual tension outside the family
Smoking cannabis
Feminist - ignores women’s needs
Warning device - cohen
An act of crime and deviance tell us that something needs to be done to make society function again
High truancy = police and other agencies notice something in society is not working
Dunblane Massacre - Gun control in the UK
Strength of func (2)
Explains why deviance is useful to society
Explains why society needs crime as it has a hidden function in society
Weakness (2)
It is said crime brings people together however it can be said that it just happens and as a result people are drawn together
Crime may not be functional like victims of a murder
Merton’s Strain theory
Deviance is a result of a strain between the goals we have and the means we have to get these goals
5 different ways an individual may react based on their goals and means
Conformist
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreatism
Rebellion
Conformist
Individuals has the means to get the goals and continues to aim for the goals in a law abiding way
Most people from social classes
Innovation
Has goals of society e.g car but lacks means e.g money
therefore turns to crime
Usually w/c
Ritualism
Individuals has means to get goals but doesn’t have a goal
Never striving to achieve so don’t turn to crime to achieve goals
Lower middle class
Retreatism
Individual lacks the means and rejects the goals of society and turning to things like alcohol or drugs
Any social class
Rebellion
Individuals rejects goals of society and rejects means of society and replace with their own version
Usually members of a rebellious group
