functionalist, strain and subcultural theories

Question 1

what do functionalists believe about society

Answer 1

As based on value consensus (all members share a common culture eg norms, values, beliefs and goals), which provides solidarity by binding everyone together. In order to achieve this society has two key mechanisms which are socialisation and social control

they believe that society has two key mechanisms:

• socialisation
• social control

Question 2

what does socialisation mean

Answer 2

instils shared culture. Internalize same norms and values.

Question 3

what does social control

Answer 3

rewards for conformity punishments for deviance

Question 4

what is argued about crime

Answer 4

• crime is universal and inevitable

- every society has some level of crime ‘normal and integral’

Question 5

What are two reasons why crime and deviance are found in all societies?

Answer 5

Not everyone is equally and effectively socialised into the shared norms and values, so some people would be prone to deviate. Also, particularly in complex modern societies, there is diversity of lifestyles and values as different groups develop subcultures with distinctive norms and values, so what subcultures view as normal, mainstream society may view as deviant

Question 6

what does Anomie

Answer 6

modern societies, rules become weaker (collective conscience) and results in higher levels of deviance (suicide)

Question 7

what does crime do in society

Answer 7

crime produces a reaction, unites members in the condemnation of the wrongdoer and reinforces norm.

Question 8

what did boundary maintenance

Answer 8

punishment is not to make he criminal suffer but to reaffirm social solidarity eg courtroom dramatizing media and ‘folk devils’

Question 9

what did Durkheim say about adaption and change

Answer 9

Durkheim says all change starts with an act of deviance. Individuals with new ideas, values and ways of living must not be completely stifled by the weight of social control. There must be some scope for them to challenge and change existing norms and values, and in the first instance this will inevitably appear as deviance

Question 10

what did Davies say about adaption and change

Answer 10

• prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release men’s sexual frustration

Question 11

what did polsky say about about adaption and change

Answer 11

pornography is an alternative to adultery

Question 12

what is the AO3 for adaption and change

Answer 12

• crime doesn’t necessarily serve the function of social solidarity, unclear why crime exists in the first place
• doesn’t always promote solidarity eg women staying for fear of attack

Question 13

what is the American dream

Answer 13

This ideology tells Americans that their society is a meritocratic one where anyone who makes the effort can get ahead-there are opportunities for all

Question 14

AO3 for the American dream

Answer 14

society is not meritocratic. Many individuals group are denied opportunities to achieve legitimately. such as poverty and discrimination

Question 15

what does strain to anomie mean

Answer 15

the strain between money and success with the lack of legitimate opportunities which produces frustration

Question 16

What is Merton’s strain theory?

Answer 16

argue that people engage in deviant behaviour when they unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means. For example this creates frustration and may resort to crime

Question 17

name some ways people respond to strain

Answer 17

• conformity= the one taken up by most people. They actually attain the goals
• retreatism=you give up and drop-out of society because you’ll never achieve anything and so retreat into a world of drugs and alcohol

Question 18

A03 for Merton

Answer 18

• assumes that there is a valued consensus- not everyone strives for success
• only accounts for utilitarian crime and also not crimes of violence

Question 19

what are subcultural strain theories

Answer 19

deviance is a product of a delinquent subculture which differs from mainstream society. These subcultures provide an alternative structure for those who are denied to achieve by legitimate means

Question 20

what does Cohen say about status frustration (AO3 Merton strain theory)

Answer 20

agrees with Merton that deviance is lower class phenomenon. However criticizes Merton on two grounds

Question 21

what two grounds does Cohen criticise Merton on (AO3 Merton strain theory)

Answer 21

1) Merton sees deviance as an individual response to strain, a act of deviance is committed in groups
2) Merton focuses on utilitarian crimes such as assault

Question 22

what did Cohen say about working class boys

Answer 22

• face anomie in MC dominated school system eg cultural deprivation
• cant achieve by legitimate means, suffer from status frustration, so turn to other boys in the same situation (subculture)

Question 23

what does Cohen say about alternative status hierarchy

Answer 23

the delinquent subculture inverts values of the mainstream- malice, hostility eg truanting( refer to willis and the lads study)
subculture offer an illegitimate opportunity to gain status from their peers with delinquent actions

Question 24

what is the AO3 for Cohens alternative status hierarchy

Answer 24

+ offers an explanation of non utilitarian deviance, helps us to explain non economic delinquency
- assumes WC start off by sharing MC goals, may have never shared these goals in the first place

Question 25

what did cloward and Ohlin say about subcultural strain theories

Answer 25

- agree WC youths are denied legitimate opportunities to achieve money success - however different subcultures respond in different ways - different neighbourhoods provide different opportunities develop criminal activities and skills

Question 26

what did Cloward and Ohlin say bout how subcultures respond to deviance

Answer 26

1) criminal subcultures: apprenticeships for a career in utilitarian crime also neighbourhoods with criminal culture and role models 2) conflict subcultures: high population turnover. loosely organised gangs (post code wars) 3) retreatism subcultures: fail legitimately and illegitimately so turn to drug use

Question 27

what is the AO3 for cloward and ohlin response to deviance

Answer 27

+ provides an explanation for different types of deviance - reactive theories not everyone starts off with same goal - could be possible to belong to more than one subculture

Question 28

what is said about recent strain theories

Answer 28

- emphasise it not just on money, but popularity, masculinity too etc - evidence shows countries that spend more on welfare, have lower imprisonment rates (shows crime is mainly about money)

Question 29

what do interactionists look at

Answer 29

they look at interactions between humans

Question 30

What does Durkheim see as the two important positive functions of crime?

Answer 30

Boundary maintenance and adaptation and change

Question 31

example of boundary maintenance

Answer 31

It can be done through rituals in the courtroom, which dramatise wrongdoing and publicly shame and stigmatise the offender. This reaffirms the values of the law abiding majority and discourages other from rule breaking

Question 32

What does Durkheim say about crime levels in society?

Answer 32

Neither a very high or very low level of crime is desirable as too much crime threatens to tear the bonds of society apart, but too little means society is repressing and controlling its members too much, stifling individual freedom and preventing change

Question 33

What does Cohen identify as another function of crime and deviance?

Answer 33

It is a warning that an institution is not functioning properly. For example, high rates of truancy may tell us that there are problems with the education system and that policy makers need to make appropriate changes to it

Question 34

example of Merton's strain theory

Answer 34

American culture which values 'money success'-individual material wealth and the high status that goes with it . Americans are expected to achieve goals legitimately through self discipline, study, educational qualifications and hard work in a career