Merton- functionalists theory

Merton view of crime and deviance

• they were a product of dysfunction in a society

• Suggested that society was structurally unequal and that the inability of some members to achieve the “American dream” led to a strain to anomie ( deviant from norms and values of society)

Merton strain theory

• Merton suggested that people would react in a different way to the American dream

• Sam would continue to accept socially approved goals and strive to achieve those through either legit ( education and hard work) or illegitimate means(crime)

• Others would attract socially approved goals and either deviate or conform to socially approved behaviours

Categorised 5 deviant adaptions to strain

• Conformity

• Innovation

• Ritualism

• Retreatism

• Rebellion

Conformity

• Majority of Americans conformed according to Merton

• They chased the American Dream and worked hard, gained an education and chose pathways that lead to success

• Accepted social goals and pursed them through legitimate means

Innovation

• Accepted the socially approved goals but found that legitimate opportunities to achieve them were blocked

• Innovated - adopted illegitimate means to achieve socially approved goals

• Organised crime, fraud, white collar crime and corporate crime can be linked to innovation

Ritualism

• Accepted that they were unlikely to achieve socially approved goals of wealth

• Conformed to the norms and values of society - continue to adopt legitimate means despite knowing it would not lead to their goal

• Routine occupations, administrative roles and middle management

Retreatism

• Send routine routines to achieve goals blocked, Retreatists would reject the norms and values of society

• With little motivation, Auckland formative the group of dropout of society according to Merton

• Alcohol and drugs and petty crime

Rebellion

• Challenge the socially approved goals and looked to set out their own vision of society

• Rejected the legitimate means of achieving these goals and would look to adopt alternative methods to achieve their vision of society

• Political dissidents, activists and protesters

Evaluations of Merton

• Recognise the role Of structural inequality in crime and highlighted the lack of opportunities available to some group groups

• Strain is dependent upon people wanting to achieve safely group goals is this reflective of the 21st century society

• Office explanations of utilitarian crimes but doesn’t explain crimes compassion or why some choose to victimise others