Durkheim's functional theory

what are the 2 key mechanism functionalist argue that is needed to achieve solidarity?

socialisation and social control

why are crime and deviance found in all societies (2 reasons)

inadequate socialisation - not everyone is socialised equally into the shared culture of society, this results in some individuals being prone to deviance.

subcultures - complex modern society means diversity of lifestyle and values, this leads to subcultures that have different norms and values which may be seen as deviant by mainstream society.

why are modern societies often lead towards anomie? What is the result of this ?

because modern societies have a complex, specialised division of labour which leads to individuals becoming increasingly different from one another.

This weakens the collective conscience and results in higher levels of deviance

what are the two important positive functions according to Durkheim crime does ?

boundary maintenance - where crime produces a reaction for society, uniting its members to condemn the wrongdoer for their actions and reinforce their conformity to the norms and values. (social solidarity).

adaption and change - where new ideas, which are firstly seen as acts of deviance, can give rise to a new culture in the long run. Supressed ideas can lead to the stagnation of society and won’t be able to make changes.

what does DAVIS mention

PROSTITUTION: argues that prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release of men’s without threatening the monogamous nuclear family

what does POLSKY mention

PORNOGRPHY - argues that pornography gives a sexual alternative that is away from adultery, which poses as a greater threat.

what does COHEN mention

identifies another functions of deviance:

WARNING - acts as a warning that an institution is not working properly and needs to be corrected with appropriate changes

What does ERIKSON mention

if deviance preforms positive functions it means society is organised to promote it. Agencies of social control sustain it rather than rid it of society.

why is functionalism useful for understanding crime and deviance ?

shows how deviance is importance to society, and have latent functions for society

what are the criticism of the functionalist theory of crime

1. crime doesn’t always promote social solidarity - can cause people to become more isolated ex. women staying indoors in feared of being targeted and attacked.

2. ‘Functional for whom'?’ - Ignores how it might affect different people within society ex. functional for an offender by reinforcing solidarity for the rest of society, but not functional for the victim.

3. Explain crime’s exists solely to preform a function for society.