Theories of crime and deviance
- Created by: Molly
- Created on: 28-11-12 16:01
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- Theories of crime and deviance
- biological and psychological theories
- suggest that deviant/criminal behaviour is determined by physiological/ psychological conditions which prevent some individuals form conforming.
- something wrong with criminals rather than society
- biological- something in the genetic make up for criminals that make them turn to crime
- born a criminal
- personality characteristics/ poor relationships with parents
- sociologists tend to reject these explanations as they fail to recogonize meanings attatched to crime are created by social and cultural factors.
- everyone at some point in their lives commit acts of deviance. crime.
- suggest that deviant/criminal behaviour is determined by physiological/ psychological conditions which prevent some individuals form conforming.
- functionalism
- sees the source of crime and deviance located in the structure of society
- benefits of crime (durkhiem)
- inevitable feature of social life.
- 1. strengthening collective values
- 2. enabling social change
- new ideas to develop
- 3. acting as a safety valve
- releasing stress
- 4. acting as a warning device
- society not working properly
- strain theory
- MERTON (1968) functionalist theory
- he suggested that social order is based on a consensus around social goals and approved means of achieving them
- most people share goals.. financial success etc..
- in an unequal society Merton argues that not all individuals have the same oppurtunity to of realizing thees foals.
- sense of strain , give up, drugs, criminal acts, turn to crime as an alternative.
- in an unequal society Merton argues that not all individuals have the same oppurtunity to of realizing thees foals.
- evaluation:
- not everyone want financial success- more about job satisfaction
- focuses on individual responses and doesent recognize that there is a social pattern of crime and deviance, linked to age, gender, ethnicity etc..
- he dosent explain why most people who face strain do not turn to crime
- MERTON (1968) functionalist theory
- biological and psychological theories
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