Functionalist Approach

Question 1

4 ways Durkheim saw crime as having positive functions

Answer 1

1. Strengthening collective values: people need to be reminded of barriers between right and wrong
2. Enabling social change: Some deviance necessary to allow new ideas to develop
3. Acts as safety valve: Deviance way of expressing discontent
4. Acting as warning device

Question 2

Merton’s strain theory

Answer 2

Due to unequal society not everyone has opportunity to reach goals through approved means e.g. Due to unemployment. Therefore they feel a sense of strain and anomie as dominant rules on how to be successful don’t meet their needs.

Question 3

Subcultural theories: Cohen’s status frustration and reactive delinquent subculture

Answer 3

Argues W/C youth believe in success goals of mainstream culture but experiences of failure in education, worst chances in job markets mean they have little opportunity to attain through approved means=status frustration. This then leads to a delinquent subculture

Question 4

3 types of delinquent subcultures

Answer 4

1. Criminal subcultures: ‘Useful’ crimes such as theft. Happen in more developed W/C areas where there is established pattern of adult crime.
2. Conflict subcultures: Emerge in socially disorganised areas with lack of social cohesion. Characterised by violence and gangs.
3. Retreatist subcultures: Emerge among lower-class youth who are ‘double failures’.

Question 5

Criticisms of functionalist based explanations

Answer 5

• Not everyone committed to mainstream goals such as job satisfaction may be more important to some than career progression
• Doesn’t explain white-collar and corporate crimes
• Rely on pattern of crime in statistics