Topic 1 - Functionalists, Strain and Subcultural theories

Functionalists-

• Value Consensus
  • Shared norms
  • Shared values
  • Shared beliefs
  • Shared goals
• Social Solidarity (binding individuals together)
• Socialisation (instils shared culture into memebers e.g through education)
• Social Control (rewards for conformity/ punishments for deviance)

DURKHEIM (functionalist) - Inevitability of Crime -

• Crime is inevitable
• Crime is Universal
• 'Crime is normal...an integral part of all healthy societies'
• In every society, some individuals are inadequately socialised into the norms and are therefore prone to deviance
• Modern societies =
  • highly specialised division of labour
  • diversity of subcultures
    • Individuals/ groups are increasingly different 
      • Anomie is created = shared rules of behaviours become less clear
• Positive functions of crime
  • Boundary Maintenance (reaction from society against the wrongdoer reinforcing comitment to value consensus)
  • Adaption and Change (individuals with new ideas must challenge existing rules in order to create a change - these will be seen as deviant at first but soon can be made into a new culture)
    • DAVIS = safty valve = prostitution acts to release mens sexual frustrations without threatening the nuclear family
    • A.K COHEN = warning light = deviance indicates if there are problms occuring in an institution e.g high truency rate may mean problems with the education system
• Critisisms = 
  • does not explain exactly how much deviance society needs to function
  • Explains crime in terms of its function but not why it exists in the first place

MERTON (functionalist) - Strain Theory -

• People engage in deviant behaviour because they cannot achive socially approved goals
  • Structural Factors ( Societys uneual opportunity structure)
  • Cultural Factors (strong emphasis on success goals but little emphasis on using legitimate means to achieve them)
• The American Dream-
  • Emphasises 'money success' through education, hard work (legitimate means).
  • Ideology claims that Ameican…