Crime + Deviance - Functionalist Perspective

Question 1

What 4 functions does Durkheim claim crime has?

Answer 1

• Boundary maintenance
• Safety valve
• Warning device
• Enables social change

Question 2

What is Boundary Maintenance?
(Durkheim)

Answer 2

The punishments that come with crime reinforces the norms and values of society

Question 3

How does crime act as a Safety Valve?
(Durkheim)

Answer 3

Crime allows for societies to function by letting them release any tension
(For example, the London Riots)

Question 4

What does Davis say about prostitution?

Answer 4

It helps to keep monogamy and the family intact, acting as a safety valve and providing an outlet for sexual frustrations
(However, this is very male-centred)

Question 5

What does Polsky say about pornography?

Answer 5

Pornography acts as a safety valve by channelling sexual desires away from actions like adultery

Question 6

What is wrong with Polsky and Davis’ theories?

Answer 6

They are heavily male-centric and ignore the negatives of prostitution and porn

Question 7

How does crime act as a Warning Device?
(Durkheim)

Answer 7

Too much of a particular crime within society indicates there is an issue within society

Question 8

What is an example of crime enabling social change?
(Durkheim)

Answer 8

The Stonewall Riots

Question 9

Durkheim evaluation

Answer 9

• His theories treat society as a living thing, ignoring the impact that individuals can have
• He does not explain why certain people commit crime more than others
• Ignores the concept of power
• However, he has had immense influence on sociology

Question 10

What is Merton’s Strain Theory?

Answer 10

Money equates to success and this is the goal of society, according to Merton. Those that do not have the means to achieve this goal suffer strain and need to change to meet these goals

Question 11

What groups did Merton propose?

Answer 11

• Conformity
• Innovation
• Ritualism
• Retreatism
• Rebellion

Question 12

What is Conformity?
(Merton)

Answer 12

People who try to achieve their goals through legitimate means

Question 13

What is Innovation?
(Merton)

Answer 13

People who realise they cannot achieve through legitimate means so they innovate them

Question 14

What is Ritualism?
(Merton)

Answer 14

People who go through the motions but have given up on/rejects their goals

Question 15

What is Retreatism?
(Merton)

Answer 15

Individuals reject both the culturally accepted goals and the institutionalized means of achieving the. They withdraw from societal norms and structures.

Question 16

What is Rebellion?
(Merton)

Answer 16

Individuals reject both the goals and the conventional means of achieving them and instead work to replace them with new ones

Question 17

What are the strengths of Merton’s Strain Theory?

Answer 17

• It helps to explain why working-class people commit more materialistic crimes
• Explains why most crime is property crime

Question 18

What are the weaknesses of Merton’s Strain Theory?

Answer 18

• It is difficult to accurately categorise people
• Ignores the crimes of the powerful
• Deterministic
• Not everyone is materially driven

Question 19

What does Cohen say about crime and subcultures?

Answer 19

Deviance is often committed in groups and crime is not always motivated by monetary gain.

He argued that subcultures are formed as a reaction to being denied access to legitimate opportunities (status frustration) so they try to gain an alternative status hierarchy.

Question 20

How does Cohen’s theory improve on Merton’s ideas?

Answer 20

It helps to explain why violent crime is committed and can provide a practical solution for government policy by creating opportunities for young people

Question 21

What is a criticism of Merton’s ideas?

Answer 21

It assumes that working-class people share middle-class goals

Question 22

What did Cloward and Ohlin theorise?

Answer 22

It is not a lack of legitimate opportunities that lead to subcultures committing crime, it is a lack of access to illegitimate opportunity structures that dictates the reaction of subcultural groups.

This is largely dictated by the area that the individuals live in and the connections they have.

Question 23

What are Criminal Subcultures?
(Cloward and Ohlin)

Answer 23

They provide youths with an apprenticeship for a career in utilitarian crime. They arise in neighbourhoods with a longstanding criminal culture and stable hierarchy.

Question 24

What are Conflict Subcultures?
(Cloward and Ohlin)

Answer 24

They arise in areas of high population turnover, resulting in high levels of social disorganisation and preventing a stable criminal network developing.

Question 25

What are Retreatist Subcultures? (Cloward and Ohlin)

Answer 25

Those who fail in both the legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures, often based around illegal drug use.

Question 26

What did South (2014) find about the drug trade?

Answer 26

It is often a mix of disorganised crime (such as Conflict subcultures) and professional crime subcultures.

Question 27

What does Matza (1964) claim about delinquents?

Answer 27

They are not strongly committed to their subculture and drift in and out of delinquency.