Functionalist theories on crime and deviance
- Created by: Heather_gulliver
- Created on: 19-05-21 08:23
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- Functionalist theories
- strain theory (merton)
- Merton believes strain is a response to the strain placed on people to achieve the goals/values of society
- 5 types of strain: confromity, innovation, ritualisim, rebellion, retreatsism
- evaluation: - 1. over exaggerated the importance of monetary success 2. underestimate the amount of crime committed by those who have achieved societal goals.
- positive functions of crime (durkehim)
- Boundary maintenance (Durkheim) -
- Reinforces what is acceptable behavior in society as the nature of punishment shows what happens to those who break the law
- warning sign (Cohen)
- An increase in crime or deviance could be an indication that something in society isn't functioning properly
- adaption and change (Durkheim)
- some social deviance is necessary to alllow society to move forward e.g suffragette movement.
- Safety valve (Davis)
- Some minor crimes and acts of deviancy can prevent larger crimes. such as watching **** instead of urging to ****.
- Boundary maintenance (Durkheim) -
- Subcultural
- Focal Concerns (Miller)
- Working class have a different set of values to the rest of society which includes hyper masculinity
- Criticisms: Not all Working class people are criminals
- Working class have a different set of values to the rest of society which includes hyper masculinity
- Illegitimate opportunity structures (Cloward and Ohlin)
- Criminal subcultures will socialize people to commit criminal activity.
- criticisms: 1.assumes statistics are accurate 2.over exaggerates.
- Criminal subcultures will socialize people to commit criminal activity.
- Status Frustration (Cohen)
- Young people are frustrated by their inability to achieve social goals.
- criticisms: 1.Willis - Working class boys dont have the safe frustration as Middle class boys. 2.Ignores female criminality.
- Young people are frustrated by their inability to achieve social goals.
- Focal Concerns (Miller)
- Bond Theory (Hirschi)
- This theory asks why people don't commit crime.
- it suggests that bonds people have stop them from committing crimes.
- The 4 bonds:(BACI) Belief, Attachment, Commitment, Involvement
- strain theory (merton)
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