Crime and theories

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What did Durkheim say?
Crime is functional. All societies need a certain amount of crime. Just the right amount is integral to a healthy society.
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Boundary Maintenance
Functionalism-demonstrates the difference between right and wrong and strengthens social solidarity and value consensus by creating togetherness after a crime.
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Adaption and change
Functionalism- Crimes can lead to changes to laws and policies (e.g. suffragettes)
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Safety Valve
Functionalism- minor crime is a safe outlet for tension and frustration e.g., Prostitution allows men to let off stress in a safe way.
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Warning device
Functionalism- Can act as a sign that institutions are failing to do their jobs properly e.g., Jamie Bulger showed a weakness in the education system (Truancy)
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Criminogenic Capitalism
Marxism- Capitalism by its very nature causes crime. Therefore, get rid of capitalism, we will get rid of crime, said by Gordon
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Why do WC commit crimes?
Marxism- Capitalism causes the poor to commit crime to gain material goods, as a response to poverty and desperation or because of anger and frustration with exploitation.
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Why do MC commit crimes?
Marxism- It encourages greed and so leads to middle / upper class crime ‘Dog eat dog’ world. Winning no matter, the cost. The middle class also think they will not get caught (invisibility of crimes)
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State and Law Making
Marxism- laws only serve the interests of the capitalist class. Bourgeoisie create the laws to protect their interests. ‘The rich get richer, the poor get prison’ (Reiman).
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Selective enforcement
Marxism- powerless groups in society are over-criminalized (the poor or ethnic minorities) and the police and the courts tend to ignore the crimes of the powerful.
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Ideological functions of crime and the law
Marxism- Laws are a ‘smokescreen’. Laws passed appear to benefit the working class, such as workplace health and safety laws. However, these laws are an illusion. They benefit capitalism, by keeping a fit and healthy work force
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Patriarchal system
Feminism- Women are treated harshly by the Criminal Justice System.
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secondary victimization
Feminism- they are blamed by courts and media for being a target of crime e.g., ‘she was drunk’, ‘her skirt was too short’ (victim blaming)
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Mad and bad theory
Feminism- when committing a crime, women are portrayed as crazy, neurotic, hormonal or evil, monsters, manipulators
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Doubly Deviant
Feminism- women who commit crimes are seen as bad for committing crime but worse for going against their gender expectations (feminine, caregivers, maternal, responsible)
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Ladettes
Feminism- rise in female crime as they take on laddish behaviours such as binge drinking, fighting and anti-social behaviour.
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Deviance in in the ‘eye of the beholder'
Labelling, said by Becker- We attach judgement and stereotypes to certain groups labelling them as more or less criminal.
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Typical Criminal
Labelling Theory- some groups fit the common typification of criminals. Therefore, perceived as more criminal than other groups by the criminal justice system, media and victims.
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Moral Entrepenurs
Labelling Theory- these are the people in society with the power to attach labels and enforce them (increased stop and searches, arrests and convictions)
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Self Forfilling Prophecy
Labelling Theory- once labelled and treated as a criminal, some will then internalise and become the label and it becomes their ‘master status’
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Negotation of Justice
Labelling Theory- some people have the power and ability to avoid labels being successfully attached and avoid the consequences as they do not fit the idea of the typical criminal (law is not successfully enforced).
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Functionalism-demonstrates the difference between right and wrong and strengthens social solidarity and value consensus by creating togetherness after a crime.

Back

Boundary Maintenance

Card 3

Front

Functionalism- Crimes can lead to changes to laws and policies (e.g. suffragettes)

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Functionalism- minor crime is a safe outlet for tension and frustration e.g., Prostitution allows men to let off stress in a safe way.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Functionalism- Can act as a sign that institutions are failing to do their jobs properly e.g., Jamie Bulger showed a weakness in the education system (Truancy)

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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