Crime - Functionalists

Question 1

Durkheim

Answer 1

• Crime is an integral part of society. Not everyone is committed to the value consensus of society, due to different influences and circumstances. For example, poverty may lead to people stealing.
• Furthermore, crime leads to reaffirming collective values and boundaries by highlighting unaccetable behaviour.
• Promotes social cohesion.
• Drives social change, by highlighting outdated laws. For example, in 2013 when it became legal for same sex marriage to take place.

Question 2

Cohen

Answer 2

criticised merton by arguing delinquency is collective. He argues young people commit crimes together which aren’t utilitarian such as vandalism and joy-riding. He focused on working class boys: arguing they fail to succeed in the middle class environment of school> They share the same goals but cannot attain these due to cultural deprivation. This resulted in status frustration.

Question 3

Davis

Answer 3

Crime acts as a safety valve. there is a conflict between mens need for sex and societies need to restrict legitimate sex within the family. Therefore prostitution provides sexual satisfaction without threatening the nuclear family as an institution.

Question 4

Polsky

Answer 4

Supports Davis’ idea of the safety valve. Pornography helps the nuclear family not break up.

Question 5

Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 5

Coined the term illegitimate opportunity structure. merton and Cohen didn’t explain why delinquent subcultures take different forms. For examples some gangs focusing on violence or theft. He argues working class males response and type of deviant subculture they join depends on their social environment.

Question 6

Miller

Answer 6

Lower class have their own independent subculture as they don’t value success in the first place. The have different focal concerns such as toughness and smartness. for example, “smartness”, in terms being able to con and outwit others. Therefore delinquency is simply acting out lower class focal concerns.

Question 7

Merton

Answer 7

American dream. Not everyone has equal opportunity to achieve these shared goals and values. therefore people adopt illegitimate means to achieve goals. For example, stealing a car or designer clothes to appear like you can afford them. Conformity (professionals), innovation (rug dealers), ritualism (workers who punch the clock), retreatism (homeless), rebellion (radicals)

Question 8

Hirschi

Answer 8

There are 4 main societal bonds that prevent people committing crime. These include involvement, attachment, beliefs and commitment. For example, beliefs such as how people share moral beliefs of right and wrong as well as religious beliefs prevent many people committing crime.

Question 9

Matza

Answer 9

Everyone has. Denies there is cultural differences between criminals and non-criminals.