CRIME AND DEVIANCE THEORIES

DURKHEIM

FUNCTIONALISM

Crime is inevitable, and functional. Not everyone is socialised the same way.

• BOUNDARY MAINTENANCE: reminds society of norms

• ADAPTION AND CHANGE: can lead to reforms

AO3: Romanticises crime and ignores harm to victims. Serves ruling class interests.

MERTON - STRAIN THEORY

FUNCTIONALISM

crime = result of strain between cultural goals (money) and blocked means

modes of adaptation:

• conformity

• innovation (→ crime)

• ritualism

• retreatism

• rebellion

AO3: focuses on individual responses and ignores subcultures

COHEN - status frustration

FUNCTIONALISM

working class boys fail at school → status frustration → form delinquent subculture with opposite values

AO3: ignores female crime

TRADITIONAL MARXISM

Law = tool of the ruling class

Crime by the poor (blue-collar crime) = punished

Crime by the rich (white-collar crime) = ignored

AO3: Deterministic, not all working class individuals turn to crime.

NEO-MARXISM

Crime is a conscious political act against capitalism

Combines structure and agency

AO3: Over romanticises criminals as ‘Robin Hoods’

BECKER

INTERACTIONALISM / LABELLING THEORY

deviance = label, not act itself (“socially constructed”)

Master status → self fulfilling prophecy → deviant career

AO3: ignores real causes of crime (poverty etc.)

LEFT-REALISM

Crime = real problem for working class.

Causes: relative deprivation + marginalisation + subcultures

solutions: community policing, social reform

AO3: Too reformist - doesn’t tackle root of capitalism