Functionalist theories of Crime and Deviance

What does Durkheim say about crime?

• ‘crime in normal… an integral part of all healthy societies’

• crime is inevitable and universal

• too much crime destabilises society

Why do Functionalists believe crime is universal?

• not everyone is equally socialised into same norms and values- some prone to deviate

• diversity of lifestyles/values in complex modern society

Why does Durkheim argue that modern societies tend towards anomie?

Complex, specialised division of labour weakens collective conscience = more deviance (e.g. suicide)

What two functions of crime does Durkheim identify?

• Boundary ,maintenance- punishment to reinforce social solidarity (e.g. courtroom)

• Adaptation and change- challenge norms = new culture/morality

What does Davis argue is a function of crime?

safety valve- prostitution

What function of deviance did Cohen identify?

warning that institution isn’t functioning properly (e.g. high truancy rate = problem with education system)

How can Functionalists be criticised?

• Durkheim offers no way of knowing how much is the right amount of deviance

• Ignores how crime affects groups/individuals in society

• Crime doesn’t always promote solidarity, isolation (e.g. women stay indoors for fear of attack)

What does Merton argue causes deviance?

Strain between:

• Goals culture encourages individuals to achieve

• What institutional structure of society allows them to achieve legitimately

How does the American Dream cause deviance?

• expected to pursue goal through legitimate means (e.g. discipline, qualifications, career)

• disadvantaged groups denied opportunity to achieve legitimately (e.g. poverty, inadequate schools, discrimination)

• strain produces frustration = strain to anomie

What are Merton’s 5 deviant adaptations to strain?

• Conformity- m/c, accept goal + strive to achieve legitimately

• Innovation- accept goal but use illegitimate means to achieve (e.g. theft, fraud)

• Ritualism- give up on goals, internalised legitimate means, m/c office workers

• Retreatism- reject goals + means, dropouts, drug addicts + vagrants + psychotics

• Rebellion- create new goals, political radicals + counter-cultures (hippies)

How can Merton’s arguments be evidenced?

• Most crime is property crime (American society values material wealth)

• Lower class crime rates are higher (least opportunity to achieve legitimately)

How can Merton be criticised?

• Takes official stats at face value- over-represent w/c crime

• Too deterministic- w/c experience most strain but not all deviate

• Marxist: ignores r/c power to make/enforce law to criminalise the poor and not the rich

• Assumes value consensus of monetary success- not all share goal

• Only accounts for utilitarian crime for monetary gain, doesn’t consider violent crime (e.g. murder), state crime (e.g. genocide)

• Ignores role of group deviance

How does Cohen criticise Merton?

• He ignores the fact that most crime is committed by people in groups, especially young people

• He focuses on utilitarian crime but ignores crimes like assault/vandalism with no economic motive

What does Cohen say about w/c boys?

Face anomie in m/c dominated school system, cultural deprivation = lack skills to achieve = bottom of official status hierarchy so form delinquent subculture that values hostility, malice + contempt for those outside it, invert school values

What does Cohen argue is the function of a delinquent subculture?

Offers alternative status hierarchy = illegitimate opportunity structure to achieve through gaining peer status through delinquent actions

How can Cohen be criticised?

Assumes w/c boys share m/c goals, ignores fact that may not share goals in first place so may not see themselves as failures

What do Cloward and Ohlin say about the illegitimate opportunity structure?

Not everyone who fails by legitimate means (e.g. school) has an equal chance of becoming a successful safecracker, need opportunity to learn + practice trade

What are the three deviant subcultures identified by Cloward and Ohlin?

• Criminal

• Conflict

• Retreatist

How do Cloward and Ohlin describe the criminal subculture?

• Apprenticeship for career in utilitarian crime

• longstanding + stable criminal culture

• established hierarchy of professional crime

• adult criminals provide young with training + role models + opportunities for employment on criminal career ladder

How do Cloward and Ohlin describe the conflict subculture?

• high population turnover

• loosely organised gangs

• violence = release of frustration + alt source of status by winning ‘turf’

How do Cloward and Ohlin describe the retreatist subculture?

• ‘double failures’

• illegal drug use

How can Cloward and Ohlin be criticised?

• Over-predicts w/c crime- ignore wider power structure

• South: drug trade = mixture of conflict + criminal subcultures + retreatist users

• Assume everyone shares mainstream success goal

• Miller: w/c has independent subculture, doesn’t value success so members not frustrated by failure

• Matza: most deliquents drift in and out

What goals may young people pursue other than monetary success?

• Popularity with peers

• Autonomy from adults

• Male desire to be treated like ‘real men’

What do Messner and Rosenfeld say about deviance?

Institutional anomie theory:

• ‘anything goes’ mentality in pursuing wealth

• economic goals>, schools geared to prep students for labour market at expense of encouraging respect for others/other values

• high crime rate inevitable in free-market capitalist society without adequate welfare provision (USA)

What do Downes and Hansen say about crime rates and welfare spending?

studied 18 countries, more spent on welfare = lower rate of imprisonment