Theories Flashcards
Define crime and deviance
Crime - Behaviour that is against the law
Deviance - Norm-breaking behaviour
What does durkheim argue
Crime is inevitable
What are 4 characteristics [FURI]
Functional
Universal
Relative
Inevitable
What are 2 benefits[F]
Promotes social solidarity
Acts as a warning device
What are 5 responses [CIRRR]
- Conformity [Accepting goals and means]
- Innovative[Accept goals but uses new illegitimate means]
- Ritualism[Give up on goals but accept means]
- Retreatism[Reject both goals and legitimate means]
5.Rebellion[Reject goals + means and replace with new ones]
What is MERTON STRAIN THEORY
AmericanDream tells Americans that society is meritocratic and whoever makes effort will achieve when this isnt true
What does Cohen argue with Status Frustration
Agrees with Merton, many children fail so get frustrated and create their own subculture
What do Cloward + Ohin argue
Argues merton fails to explain why deliquent subcultures take different forms
C+O 3 subcultures
- Criminal Subculture - Young men have “role models” to show them the way so opportunity to climb criminal hierarchy
- Conflict Subculture - When there isnt really opportunity for legitimate or illegitimate so become angry and respond with gang violence
- Retreatist Subculture - Formed based on illegal drug and alchohol use
What do Marxist argue
Argue law is enforced against powerless groups
3 Marxist main elements
- Crimogenic capitalism - Capitalism causes crime through competition and commodity fetishism
- State & law making - Law only serves and protects interest of dominant capitalist
- Ideological functions of crime - Diverts attention away from exploitative nature of capitalism
What do Neo-Marxism argue
Modern marxist who argue people are driven to crime BY capitalism
Staurt et Hall ‘policing the crisis’
Argued some black men ended up on streets after conflict with parents over racism in society
pro + con of ‘policing the crisis’
+ Policing crisis includes labelling theory that offers comprehensive picture than previous
- Critical criminology can be viewed as too idealistic to tackle crime
Define white collar crime
Crime committed by person of respectability + high standards
What are 2 types of white collar crime
Occupational[Committed by middle class for personal gain]
Cooporate[Committed by employees on behalf of organisation]
3 views of white collar crime
- Hidden from view
-Complex ad hard to investigate
-Diffusion of responsibility
4 Scales & types of cooporate crime
-Financial fraud
-Crime against consumer
-Crime against consumer
Environmental offences
Becker argue [Labelling theory]
Becker argues deviance is in the eye of beholder - only exist due to people with deciding
Effects of Labelling
- Primary deviance = deviance not publicly labelled
- Secodnary = Caught + publicly labelled
What do realist theory focus on
Reality of crime and finding practical solutions
What is Right realist associated with
NEW RIGHT
Right Realist 3 causes of crime
- Biological differences
2.Socialisation n Underclass(effective socialisation lowers risk of crime n ofc nuclear family) - Rational Choice Theory(Assumes free will and argues crime is based on calculations of consequences)
Evaluation of Right Realist
-View criminals are rational actions is determined by socialisation
-Ignores wider cause of crime like poverty
