Functionalist explanations

Question 1

General functionalist explanations

Answer 1

• Believe crime is inevitable in society
• Poor socialisation and inequality result in the absence of social norms and values being taught
• Believe crime is positive for society because it allows boundary maintenance
• And allows for a scope of adaptation and change

Question 2

Durkhiem’s views

Answer 2

• Crime is inevitable -
  Poor socialisation results in not everyone being taught same social norms and values Inevitability of crime stems from the inequality that exists in society.
• Crime positive function-
  ‘boundary maintenance’ - crime is a functional part of society when there is the right amount.
  When people are punished for committing crimes, it teaches the rest of society not to go against social norms and values, overall strengthening boundaries and preventing further crime
• Adaptation and change –
  Some crime can be functional for society because it allows social adaptation and change, this means that for society to have norms and values that change as a form of rationalism, a criminal act must take place.

Question 3

Davis views

Answer 3

agrees with D in that crime can be positive, but in different way. Believes prostitution provides positive functions because it allows men to express sexual frustration without threatening the nuclear family.

Question 4

Merton’s views

Answer 4

• Merton’s strain theory
  States that crime is caused by failure to achieve the goals of the American dream through legitimate means (five different responses to the American dream)
  1. Conformism – accepting the goals and legitimate means to achieve them
  2. Innovation – subscribe to the goals of the American dream but use illegitimate means to achieve them
  3. Ritualism – reject the goals but conform to the means
  4. Retreatism - reject both the goals of the American dream and subscribe to the illegitimate means
  5. Rebellion – replace the goals and means with their own

Question 5

Cohen’s views

Answer 5

• status frustration theory focuses on working class boys in school who fail to succeed in middle class environments and in turn form delinquent subcultures that go against middle class norms and values. Overall working-class boys try to succeed within subcultures by trying to rise in the hierarchy, which they have more chance in succeeding in explains why some people commit non-utilitarian crimes (crime with no economic gain)

Question 6

Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 6

• develop Cohens status frustration theory by suggesting there are three different subcultures
  1. criminal subcultures - provide ‘apprenticeships’ for utilitarian crime. They exist in areas with stable criminal cultures, with hierarchies of professional criminals (e.g. drug dealers)
  2. conflict subcultures – exist in areas with high population turnover. There is social disorganisation and only loosely organised gangs (turf wars / gangs)
  3. retreatism subcultures – formed of people who fall in both legitimate AND illegitimate means and may turn to illegal drugs use (junkies)