Functionalist Essay Plan Flashcards
(10 cards)
What are Durkheim’s views on the functions of crime?
Durkheim said crime is inevitable and performs positive social functions:
• Boundary maintenance: reinforces norms when crime is punished
• Adaptation and change: allows outdated laws to be challenged.
Example: The Suffragettes broke laws but contributed to women’s rights and law reform.
Evaluate Durkheim’s view on crime as functional.
Marxists argue Durkheim ignores power and inequality. What’s seen as ‘functional’ may actually reflect ruling-class interests, not shared values. Crime may maintain the status quo, not benefit everyone equally.
What is Merton’s strain theory of crime?
Merton (1938) argued crime happens when there’s a strain between cultural goals (e.g. wealth) and access to legitimate means.
• People adapt through innovation, turning to crime to achieve success.
Example: Working-class youth may resort to theft or drug dealing due to blocked opportunities.
Evaluate Merton’s strain theory.
Marxists (e.g. Gordon) argue Merton focuses on individuals instead of structural exploitation. They believe capitalism itself — not blocked means — is the root cause of crime.
What is Cohen’s subcultural theory of working-class crime?
Cohen argued that status frustration leads working-class boys to form delinquent subcultures.
• These subcultures invert mainstream values and provide alternative status.
Example: Vandalism, fighting, or anti-school behaviour becomes a way to gain respect.
Evaluate Cohen’s subcultural theory.
Feminists argue Cohen ignores gender. Why do boys respond with crime, but girls don’t? It also ignores patriarchal power structures that shape criminal opportunity.
What do Marxists say about Functionalist explanations of crime?
Marxists argue crime and the law reflect ruling-class interests, not social consensus.
• Reiman: ‘The rich get richer, the poor get prison’.
• Laws protect private property, not social well-being.
Evaluate the Marxist critique of Functionalism.
Marxists highlight power and class inequality, which Functionalists overlook. However, Functionalists provide useful insights into how crime maintains order, which Marxists may neglect.
What do Left Realists argue about Functionalist views of crime?
Left Realists say crime causes real harm, especially to the working class.
• Functionalism romanticises crime as ‘functional,’ ignoring fear and trauma.
Example: Street crime like burglary damages community trust and wellbeing.
Evaluate the Left Realist critique of Functionalism.
Highlights the impact of crime on victims, which Functionalists ignore. But Left Realists also use structural ideas — they could complement Functionalism rather than fully reject it.
