Sociological Theories Of Crime

Question 1

What are the four sociological theories of crime?

Answer 1

Functionalism
Marxism
Interactionism
Realism

Question 2

What do functionalists argue about crime in society?

Answer 2

Believe crime is functional for society- helps society run smoothly
Crime only becomes dysfunctional when the rate of crime is too low or too high

Question 3

Who is the main functionalist and what does he argue about crime ?

Answer 3

Durkheim

He argues crime strengthens social cohesion, reinforces value consensus and sets boundaries

Question 4

How does functionalists argue crime promotes social solidarity?

Answer 4

Shared outrage leads to people expressing public temper; we all share the same values, referred to as collective conscience

Question 5

Who refers to deviance as a ‘safety valve’?

What is an example of this?

Answer 5

Davis

Letting of steam through prostitution is less threatening than committing rape- prevents worse crime

Question 6

How does crime set boundaries?

Answer 6

Once someone commits a crime they are punished, showing others in society what is accepted and what is not; public punishing reinforces this

Question 7

How is Durkheim criticised?

Answer 7

He does not explain why an individual commits crime- if we all follow the same value consensus there shouldn’t be crime
Doesn’t consider the negative impacts of crime
Doesn’t take into account those with powers to dodge the law

Question 8

Who came up with the concept of the ‘strain theory’?

Answer 8

Merton

Question 9

What is the ‘strain theory’?

Answer 9

There are clear goals in society and means to achieve them, however when people can achieve these goals through legitimate means they seek alternatives

Question 10

What does Merton mean by a strain towards anomie?

Answer 10

If alternative means become accepted and even preferred then anomie will occur- goal becomes more important than the means

Question 11

What are Merton’s five modes of adaption?

Answer 11

Conformity- earning money in legitimate ways eg, working hard at school
Innovation- individual has goals but not the means, is prepared to ‘bend’ the rules
Retreatism- those struggling to achieve may drop out of society, often reject family/friends
Ritualism- lowering aspirations as some don’t strive for great wealth; lack ambition
Rebellions- reject society’s goals but replace them with alternatives

Question 12

How is Merton’s theory criticised?

Answer 12

A person may fall in more than one category of the modes
More goals in life rather than financial success eg family love etc
Déviance can be communal not just individual

Question 13

What do interactionists argue about crime?

Answer 13

Believe crime is subjective; result of judgments and assumptions
Labels are given which influence people to turn to crime

Question 14

What does interactionists believe about official statistics?

Answer 14

They are socially constructed

Not a true reflection of crime

Question 15

What is a ‘master status’

Answer 15

When someone is constantly given a label people respond to this and they are know as the label- link behaviour to this

Question 16

What is self fulfilling prophecy?

Answer 16

Person who’s given a label lives up to the label which affects their self-concept

Question 17

Who referred to the two types of deviance and what are they?

Answer 17

Edwin Lemert
Primary deviance- deviant act not socially labelled as deviant
Secondary deviance- an act labelled as deviant

Question 18

What is the impact of public labelling?

Answer 18

Media demonises people socially labelled as deviant- creates moral panic making those appear as folk devils
Deviancy amplification

Question 19

What are the studies on labelling?

Answer 19

Plummer: ‘deviant career’- when a person comes out they get labelled as homosexual which becomes their master status

Malinowski: studied Trobriand islands, found that when someone was public-ally accused of incest there was uproar when normally people turned a blind eye.

Becker: only when something is public is when it becomes a serious issue

Question 20

What are the criticisms of interactionists?

Answer 20

Ignores other social factors influencing crime; socialisation, attitudes, opportunities.
Not everyone who is labelled turns to crime.
Most people are labelled after committing an act of crime eg rapist/murderer.
Cant be certain labelling increases deviancy.

Question 21

What is deviancy amplification?

Answer 21

Once moral panic has been created in society, those labelled as deviant appear as folk devils which marginalises and alienates them in society.
This amplifies the situation as that deviant person finds it difficult to change the publics opinion.

Question 22

What are the impacts of deviancy amplification?

Answer 22

Police crackdown of certain groups in the public; stop and searches
Increase in publicity in the media
Stereotyping

Question 23

What do Marxists argue about crime?

Answer 23

Capitalism creates crime in society as there is inequalities between the classes in society.
Those in lower classes don’t have the same opportunities as higher classes so turn to illegitimate ways to achieve

Question 24

What are the names used for the rich and the poor in society.

Answer 24

Rich= Bourgeoisie
Poor= Proletariat

Question 25

What do Marxists argue about social control?

Answer 25

``` Formal and informal control reinforce this capitalist view on crime. Different social classes are policed differently; working class are more heavily policed so therefore more crime is detected ```

Question 26

What does Marxist Box argue?

Answer 26

Explains murder is 'avoidable killing' For example- a director of a company cuts health and safety regulations to save money but an accident occurs where people die. These deaths were avoidable but not seen as that serious. Usually committed by the rich and powerful - unpunished

Question 27

What does Marxist Bonger argue about crime?

Answer 27

There is a clear link between crime and economic conditions Crime is caused by poverty- poor conditions, lack of money

Question 28

How can crime be seen as a rational response?

Answer 28

Depending on someone's situation crime can be seen as rational For example- a mother has no money and needs to feed her children, she steals so she can provide

Question 29

What does Marxist Chambliss argue about crime?

Answer 29

Capitalism creates the desire to want the latest things and therefore people are willing to turn to crime to access these For example trainers and technology

Question 30

What are the 2 types of realism?

Answer 30

Right and Left Realism

Question 31

What do right realists believe about crime?

Answer 31

They see crime from a political perspective and argue we should get tougher on crime.

Question 32

Who is the leading right realist?

Answer 32

Charles Murray

Question 33

Why does Charles Murray say someone is more likely to commit crime?

Answer 33

He argues that those who don't have strong 'social bonds' are more likely to commit crime. eg: how attached someone is to family/friends commitment towards their job strong beliefs/morals

Question 34

What does Murray say about the 'underclass'?

Answer 34

Boys who grow up in the underclass will end up turning to crime to prove their masculinity - as they don't have the appropriate role models

Question 35

What do right realists argue crime is a result of?

Answer 35

Poor social control

Question 36

What right realist suggests long term trends in crime are due to 3 factors?

Answer 36

Wilson

Question 37

What are right realist Wilson's 3 factors for long term trends in crime?

Answer 37

- young males are aggressive and have short-term prospects - social and cultural changes in society, that influence peoples norms/values - economy/availability of jobs at certain times

Question 38

What are the criticisms of right realism?

Answer 38

Focus too much on street crime Accept crime statistics as realistic ignore the wider causes of crime- poverty etc ignore the gap between the rich and the poor- creates resentment

Question 39

What are the strengths of right realism?

Answer 39

Offers a more realistic approach to tackle crime Research by Flood Page et al supports the view of decline of the family - lone parent boys are found to be more likely to offend

Question 40

What do left realists believe about crime?

Answer 40

They believe crime occurs due to inequalities created by capitalism

Question 41

Why do left realists argue capitalism creates crime?

Answer 41

Capitalism encourages people to want the latest things - people will commit crime to have the desirable things in society. Those motivated by consumerism and materialism turn to crime

Question 42

Why do left realists say poorer people turn to crime?

Answer 42

They are excluded in society- steal to try and fit in They live in relative deprivation

Question 43

What do left realists say needs to happen to tackle the problem pop crime?

Answer 43

Gradual social change- wealth distributed more equally Education improved for all Raise living standards

Question 44

What do both realists argue about punishments?

Answer 44

Right: believe punishments should be tougher on crime Left: believe punishments should not be tougher, rehabilitation should take place

Question 45

What are the criticisms of left realists?

Answer 45

Doesn't explain why not all people in relative deprivation turn to crime Is a mixture of other theories Fails to address white collar crime

Question 46

Who came up with the 'broken windows' idea?

Answer 46

Wilson and Kelling

Question 47

What is the broken windows idea?

Answer 47

Wilson and Kelling argue that areas where there is low levels of crime can escalate into potentially more crime: Good people move out of an area and deviant move in influencing more crime- the worse an area looks the more deviant the area is.