Crime and Deviance - Summary

Crime and Deviance - Summary

Functionalist, Strain theory and Subcultural theories

• Functionalists believe society is based on value consensus which deviance threatens, but it also performs positive functions such as reinforcing solidarity and adapting to change.

• Strain theories argue that deviance occurs when people cannot achieve society’s goals by legitimate means. Merton argues that this produces a ‘strain to anomie’ that may result in innovation, ritualism, retreatism or rebellion.

• Subcultural theories see much deviance as a collective rather than an individual response. A.K. Cohen argues that subcultural deviance results from status frustration and takes a non-utilitarian form. Cloward and Ohlin see three different deviant subcultures (criminal, conflict and retreatist) arising from the differences in access to illegitimate opportunity structures.

• Recent strain theories argue that capitalist economies generate greater strain to crime.

   

  Labelling theory

• For labelling theory, an act only becomes deviant when labelled as such, through societal reaction. Not every offender is labelled, and labelling theory is interested in how the laws are selectively enforced against some groups. This means official statistics are invalid: they only tell us about the types of people the control agencies have labelled, not the real pattern of crime.

• Labelling may cause the label to become an individual’s master status. A deviance amplification spiral may result, in which increased control leads to increased deviance. Interactionists have applied labelling theory to the study of suicide and mental illness.

• Labelling theory has implications for criminal justice policies, suggesting we should avoid labelling individuals unnecessarily. Labelling theory is criticised for determinism and failing to explain primary deviance and the origin of labels.

Marxist theory

• Marxists see crime as inevitable in capitalist society because it breeds poverty, competition and greed. All classes commit crime but because the ruling class control the state, they make and enforce laws in their own interests, criminalising the working class while escaping punishment for their own corporate crimes.

• The law also performs an ideological function by giving capitalism a caring face. Marxism is criticised for ignoring non-class inequalities that affect crime and for determinism (over-predicting working class crime)

• Neo-Marxism or critical criminology see crime as a conscious meaningful choice often with a political motive – a rebellion against capitalism. Critical criminology combines elements of Marxism and labelling theory in a ‘fully social theory’ of deviance. It has been criticised by left-realists for ignoring the real harm crime does to working class people.

• White collar and corporate crimes are committed by high-status individuals and businesses. They are widespread and cause great harm yet remain largely invisible and are not considered ‘real’ crimes. Differential association, strain theory, labelling theory and Marxism have offered explanations of these crimes.

Realism

• Realists see crime as a real problem, especially for the poor. Right realists are conservatives. They see the cause of crime as partly biological and partly social. They see it as a rational choice based on calculating the risks and rewards. Because causes cannot easily be changed, they focus on deterring offenders. (zero- tolerance policy)

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