THEORIES OF CRIME - FUNCTIONALISM Flashcards Preview

OCR A-LEVEL SOCIOLOGY PAPER 3 - CRIME AND DEVIANCE > THEORIES OF CRIME - FUNCTIONALISM > Flashcards

Flashcards in THEORIES OF CRIME - FUNCTIONALISM Deck (26)
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1
Q

what 2 names are key for functionalism?

A

Durkheim and Merton

2
Q

what type of theory is functionalism?

A

a macro consensus theory, meaning they see crime as beneficial for society

3
Q

the four functions of crime according to Durkheim were…

A

deviance as a safety valve
anomie
boundary maintenance
social solidarity

4
Q

who said deviance was a safety valve?

A

Davis

5
Q

what does deviancy as a safety valve mean?

A

small crimes allow individuals to ‘let off steam’ rather than committing a worse crime

6
Q

what is an example of deviance as a safety valve?

A

men going to see a prostitute to satisfy sexual urges instead of raping someone

7
Q

what is anomie according to Durkheim?

A

anomie is the breakdown of value consensus in society

8
Q

what did Durkheim say prevents anomie?

A

small amount of crime and deviance prevents anomie as long as it is punished

9
Q

if too much crime and deviance occurs, what happens?

A

anomie which threatens society, can be due to change in government, economic upheaval or a disaster

10
Q

what happens if there is no crime according to Durkheim?

A

become a ‘society of saints’, but petty actions such as burping become punished

11
Q

what is boundary maintenance?

A

crime and deviance allows people to know the boundaries of society

12
Q

what needs to occurs for boundary maintenance?

A

punishment of deviance by agencies of social control for example by the police

13
Q

what is social solidarity?

A

sense of cohesion felt by society

14
Q

what does a shared outrage lead to?

A

public temper where everyone is outraged together e.g. Madeleine McCann’s disappearance

15
Q

collective conscience is…

A

people in society share the same set of values, community controls itself using sanctions expressed through shock, horror or outrage

16
Q

what does Durkheim not explain?

A

doesn’t actually explain why crime happens

17
Q

what three things does Durkheim not explain?

A

why crime happens
why some people commit more crime than others
why people are deviant in different ways

18
Q

Durkheim doesn’t consider?

A

the effects of crime on an individual, or issues such as who creates the law and who can dodge it

19
Q

what is Merton’s strain theory?

A

clear goals in society and clear means, people who don’t have the means find alternative ways to succeed

20
Q

what is anomie according to Merton?

A

gap between goal and means

21
Q

who usually experiences anomie according to Merton?

A

the lower class because they haven’t got the means to achieve

22
Q

what do the lower class turn to in order to achieve their goals according to Merton?

A

turn to illegitimate means

23
Q

what does Merton blame for crime?

A

the capitalist society for materialism

24
Q

what are the five modes of adaption?

A

conformist - achieve normally
innovation - think creatively, have goals but not means
ritualism - scale down goals in order to achieve
retreatism - retreat from society e.g drug addicts, rejects
rebellion - reject society’s goals, replace them

25
Q

out of the five modes of adaption, which two commit crime?

A

innovators

rebels

26
Q

how can Merton’s theory be criticised?

A

goals of financial success is not universal e.g. family or love
can fall into multiple modes of adaption
deviance can be communal e.g. deviant subcultures