Topic 1 - Functionalist, strain + subcultural theories - Merton's strain theory

Argue people engage in deviant behaviour when unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means. Adapted Durkheim's anomie to explain deviance. 

2 elements:
 - structural factors: society's unequal opportunity structure
 - cultural factors: strong emphasis on success goals + weaker emphasis on using legitimate means to achieve them

For M, deviance result of strain between:
 - goals culture encourages individuals to achieve
 - what institutional structure of society allows them to achieve legitimately

Eg American culture values 'money success' -individual material wealth + high status that goes w/ it.

Americans expected to pursure this by legitimate means eg self-discipline, study, ed qualifications, hard work in career. Ideology of 'American Dream' tells Americans society meritocratic - anyone who makes effort can get ahead. Opportunities for everyone.

Reality - many disadv'd groups denied opps to achieve legitimately eg poverty, inadequate schooling, discrimination in job market may block opps for many ethnic minorities + lower classes.

Strain between cultrual goal (money + success) + lack of legitimate opps to achieve produces frustration. Creates pressure to resort to illegitimate means eg crime + deviance. M calls this the strain to anomie.

M - pressure to deviate further increased by American culture putting more emphasis on achieving success at any price than on doing this by legitimate means. Winning more important than playing by rules. 

Individuals accept culturally approved goals + try to achieve them legitimately. Most likely among m/c - good opps to achieve, but M sees as typical of most Americans.

Accept goal of money success, use 'new' illegitimate means eg theft/fraud to achieve it. Lower end of class structure under greatest pressure to innovate.

Give up trying to achieve goals, internalised legitimate means - follow rules for own sake. Typical of lower-m/c office workers - dead end, routine jobs.

Reject goals + legitimate means - become dropouts. Merton inc psychotics, outcasts, chronic drunkards, drug addicts etc as examples

Reject society's goals + means, replace them w/ new ones in desire to bring about revolutionary change - create new kind of society. Inc political radicals + counter-cultures eg hippies. Jock Young, marijuana hippies

Takes official stats at face value - over-represent w/c crime, so M sees crime as mainly w/c phenomenon. Too deterministic: w/c experience most strain, yet don't all deviate.

Marxists - ignores power of ruling class to make + enforce laws - criminalise poor but not rich.

Assumes value consensus - everyone strives for 'money success' - ignores possibility that many may not share this goal.

Only accounts for utilitarian crime for monetary gain, not crimes of violence, vandalism etc. Also hard to see how could account for state crimes eg genocide.

Ignores role of group deviance eg delinquent subcultures