CRIME AND DEV

TOPIC 1 - CRIME, DEVIANCE, SOCIAL ORDER AND SOCIAL CONTROL

SOCIAL CONSTUCTION OF CRIME AND DEIVIENCE

Construction of crime

·      NEWBURN – crime is a label attached to behaviour which is prohibited by the state and has some illegal penalty to it

·      Is socially constructed – an act only becomes a crime when the label of crime is applied to it

·      Crime covers a wide range of behaviour, so it is extremely difficult to develop explanations that account for the vast diversity of acts that are labelled as criminal

Construction of deviance

·      Like crime, deviance is too a construction.

·      PLUMMER– distinguished between societal and situational deviance

àSocietal deviance – acts that most members of society regard as deviant because they share values of un/approved behaviour

à Situational deviance – acts where whether or not they are seen as deviant depends on the context or location in which they take place

·      These two concepts suggest that what is regarded
 as deviant may:

à Vary between different societies, cultures, contexts and locations

à Change over time

FUNCTIONALIST AND SUBCULTURAL THEORIES

·      Functionalism sees crime and deviance arising from the structure of society

·      DURKHEIM argued that some crime is inevitable, because not everyone is equally committed to the shared values and moral beliefs in society

·      Durkheim saw some deviance and crime as performing necessary and beneficial functions;

à  Strengthening collective values – punishing criminals reasserts the boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour

à Enabling social change – deviance is needed to allow new ideas to develop

à Acting as a safety valve – to ease stresses and frustrations in society

à Acting as a warning device that society is not working properly

Strain Theory and anomie

·      MERTON suggests that social order is based on a consensus around social goals

·      In an unequal society, not all people have the same opportunity of realising these goals in a legitimate way

·      This means they face a strain or tension between goals they aspire to and the legitimate opportunities for achieving them à leads to anomie

·      Most people conform and achieve goals by approved means. Merton argues that those facing strain show four different modes of adaptation

à Innovation; rejects means of achieving goals but accepts the goals

àRitualism; accepts means of achieving goals but rejects the goals

àRetreats; rejects both means and goals

àRebellion; revolts and creates new

Evaluation of Merton

            + It provides an explanation for different forms of deviance

            - It takes for granted a consensus around means and goals

            -  Focuses on individual responses and doesn’t recognise the social pattern of crime 

            -Doesn’t explain why most people who face strain do not turn to crime

            - Exaggerates working class crime

            - Only explains…