Functionalist views of crime and deviance (30 mark)

Functionalism is a structural, consensus theory and has a positive view of society and its institutions, which are extremely important. functionalists discuss the organic analogy, in which institutions are likened to organs, and, like organ failure, their dysfunction is detrimental to society. Each institution socialises individuals into the normative value system – a set of ideas and beliefs agreed on by society. This value consensus allows individuals to understand right and wrong, and means they can cooperate. This subsequently causes social order. The individuals in society may feel united by the consensus of norms, values, beliefs and goals and feel social unity or integrated into society, ensuring harmony. However some individuals may not be adequately socialised into the normative value system, as institutions may fail to perform correctly. This causes anomie, a state of normlessness, which leads to crime and other antisocial behaviours. Meritocracy - the view that hard work and effort allows one to achieve their goals - suggests social mobility is possible in society and gives a sense of solidarity to individuals who share the same aspirations. 

• Crime is FIN
  • Functional
  • Inevitable
  • Normal
• Excessive crime is an issue, however crime is inevitable. This could be due to inadequate socialisation into NVS or due to subcultures developing with deviant ides. 
• Positive functions of crime
  • Boundary maintenance
  •  Adaption and Change
  • Safety Valve
  • Warning

Counter - Durkheim ignores differences why different groups commit more/less crime (Marxists - ignores structural factors of capitalism as cause of crime). 

Merton's theory

• idea that everyone in society is socialised into the same goals under the NVS. This is called the American dream. strain theory occurs when there is a strain between the goals and the means of achieving them. this causes anomie and crime becomes possible 
• responses to strain 
  • conformist M G - come from all classes, most common response, stick to goals
  • innovator M G - members of WC, turn to illegitimate methods of creating means 
  • retreatist M G - all classes, least common response, turn to drug subcultures 
  • ritualist M G - lower middle classes, abandon societal goals but cannot turn to crime 
  • rebel M G - rising groups, reject society's goals and replace them with their own. 

evaluating: does not explain non-utilitarian crimes eg. Murder, vandalism, **** 

does not explain why some WC do not turn to crime, also does not explain white collar crime 

Cohen 1955 - status frustration 

• working class boys fail in school due to the MC and female habitus which causes status frustration 
• they create or join a delinquent subculture as they have their own NVS. 
• subculture allows them to gain status in the alternative status hierarchy through deviance. 

Cloward and Ohlin 

• 3 adaptions to status frustration 
  • criminal - learn to be career criminals, provides employment into crime long-term and offers stability
  • conflict - similar to Cohen's idas, violence allows frustration to be released and to gain status, areas of high social disorganisation are where conflict subcultures thrive
  • retreatist - double failures in both legitimate work and crime, drop out and become drug users 

evaluating subcultural theories - ignore upper class crime, ignore overlap between C+O's adaptions. 

Miller said that the working class have six main focal concerns which cause crime 

Excitement - seek immediate gratification - 

Toughness - want to prove dominance or 'hardness'

Smartness - smart in ways school does not approve of (e.g street smarts, wit)

Trouble - may find themselves in trouble when seeking to prove themselves 

Autonomy - wish for independence and not be reliant (e.g on benefits?)

Fate - believe their destiny is already decided, so it does not matter if they do crime. 

Matza believes that we all have the innate delinquent values in us which makes us neither deviant nor conformist  we can "drift" between these states. Neutralising deviance allows for criminals to drift back into mainstream views. We seek to neutralise our deviance by:

• Denial of responsibility - pass blame; "it wasn't me"
• Denial of injury - downplay effects; "it didn't hurt"
• denial of victim - downplay role of the victim; "you deserved it"
• condemnation of the condemners - deflect blame to other; "you're just as bad'
• appeal to higher loyalty - compassionate cause; "to help my family/country/religion"

evaluating Matza 

Excuses may be used to avoid punishment rather than to drift back into mainstream views. Not committed to subculture values. 

evaluating Miller 
assumes deviants all hold same goals in society whereas this may not be true 

Weigh up beliefs

Personally I believe the functionalist view ignores non utilitarian crimes such as sexual crimes which are still prevalent in society. Though I do agree with Miller's focal concerns and strain theory, it heavily demonises the working class and ignores white collar crimes.