social structure

Question 1

what branch of theory does social structure belong to?

Answer 1

sociological

Question 2

what are the social structure theories?

Answer 2

functionalism, strain theory, marxism

Question 3

who was the main person in Functionalism?

Answer 3

Durkheim

Question 4

what did the functionalism theory seen society as?

Answer 4

a stable structure based on sharing norms, values and beliefs about right and wrong

Question 5

what is consensus?

Answer 5

the shared agreement of norms and values held by members of society

Question 6

why id crime inevitable, according to Durkheim?

Answer 6

not everyone in society is committed to the same values and beliefs - adequate socialisation into established norms

Question 7

what is boundary maintenance?

Answer 7

if there is crime in a society, the society will see and feel the consequences of this.

Question 8

boundary maintenance will strengthen…

Answer 8

social cohesion and willingness of society members to work together to unite against criminal acts

Question 9

when does social change occur?

Answer 9

when individuals challenge established ideas of crime and deviance

Question 10

when does crime become dysfunctional?

Answer 10

when crime rate is too high or low

Question 11

who is the main person of strain theory?

Answer 11

Merton

Question 12

what does strain theory argue?

Answer 12

that crime is caused by the unequal structure of society

Question 13

what does society encourage people to do?

Answer 13

subscribe to the goals of material success (but in unable to provide legitimate reasons to achieve this)

Question 14

how do blocked opportunities create strain?

Answer 14

poverty and inadequate schools create strain between goal of success and lack of legitimate opportunities

Question 15

what is innovation?

Answer 15

innovators accept the goal but find criminal ways of achieving it (bank robbers)

Question 16

what is ritualism?

Answer 16

ritualists give up striving for success and settle (‘plodding along’ in a dead-end job)

Question 17

what is retreaism?

Answer 17

retreatists reject the goal and ‘drop out’ (vagrants)

Question 18

what is rebellion?

Answer 18

rebels reject the goals and replace them with new ones - aiming to change society (hippies)

Question 19

what is a subculture?

Answer 19

a dominant group emerges that doesn’t want to conform to societies main goals

Question 20

how does subculture lead to criminality?

Answer 20

enables members to gain status by illegitimate means

Question 21

what does Cohen argue?

Answer 21

that deviance in the working class is a group response to status frustration

Question 22

give an example of non utilitarian crime

Answer 22

vandalism

Question 23

What does Marxism argue?

Answer 23

that capitalist society encourages wealth but the unequal structure shapes people behaviour = criminality

Question 24

explain the relationship between the upper class and working class

Answer 24

the upper class (bourgeoisie) hold crime as something to force social control against the working class (proletariat)

Question 25

how are laws created to protect the ruling class and disadvantage the working class?

Answer 25

law enforcement tends to favour the upper class and disadvantage working class when prosecuting with crimes e.g. white collar crimes

Question 26

what are the unfavourable conditions that create crime in disadvantaged classes?

Answer 26

- a high drop out rate - unemployment - single parent families

Question 27

what is selective law enforcement?

Answer 27

white collar crimes of the rich are less likely to be prosecuted than the working class 'street crimes'

Question 28

what was Durkheim the first person to recognise?

Answer 28

the positive impact crime has on society

Question 29

why do people uniting against wrongdoers create social community?

Answer 29

defines boundaries of right and wrong and people share the same values

Question 30

Even though crime may perform certain functions in society...

Answer 30

it isn't functional for the victims and their families

Question 31

what does Durkheim not explain?

Answer 31

how much crime is needed in order to allow society to function properly

Question 32

How does Strain help to explain crime stats?

Answer 32

explains why working class crime rates may be higher

Question 33

Why is Merton's theory valid?

Answer 33

explains how individuals in different positions of social structure respond to society's goal

Question 34

what other theory does Strain link to well?

Answer 34

interactionist theories e.g. labelling (= reliability)

Question 35

What does Strain assume is the reason for crime?

Answer 35

an individuals's choice rather than someone wanting to fit into subculture

Question 36

Why is Strain and Marxism stereotypical?

Answer 36

not all working class people commit crime

Question 37

What does Strain ignore about the capitalist ruling class?

Answer 37

that they have the power to create and enforce laws to prevent deviance

Question 38

give 1 thing Strain focuses too much on and 1 thing it doesn't consider

Answer 38

focuses - too much on utilitarian ruling class doesn't consider - crimes against the person

Question 39

What does Marxism provide an explanation for?

Answer 39

crime that covers all social classes & all types of crime

Question 40

How does Marxism highlight selective law enforcement?

Answer 40

shows how inequality in society can lead to criminality & how law reflects differences in power

Question 41

How does Marxism show reliability of other theories?

Answer 41

it links well with interactionist theories e.g. labelling and strain

Question 42

why does Marxism lack validity?

Answer 42

several factors aren't considered

Question 43

what is an example of a largely ignored non-class inequality in Marxism?

Answer 43

gender, ethnicity