formal & informal social control

Durkheim

Views formal institutions as positive - they punish those failing to conform to norms and values of society, therefore maintain value consensus.

Functionalists see crime as having a positive function - reaffirms social boundaries: when a person breaks the law, court ceremony and media coverage reaffirms existing vals and reminds others that it’s wrong to do the same (social cohesion). Particularly clear in societies w public punishments e.g. executions.

McPherson report 1999

Followed murder of black teen Stephen Lawrence in 1993 and concluded the metropolitan police are institutionally racist - ‘the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people bc of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin’.

Also accounts for fact that young black men are 9x more likely to be stopped and searched than white young men.

Gordon (Marxist)

‘Selective law enforcement’ - firstly, even tho U/MC do commit crime, the prosecution of them is rare while prosecution of WC is more frequent. E.g. nobody has been prosecuted for grenfell tower fire despite being proven cladding on outside was not up to safety standards.

Secondly, when WC are prosecuted, they’re deemed as ‘social failures’ who’re entirely responsible for their deviance e.g. 2010 London riots; media focused on disrespect of rioters rather than context of behaviour (black man had been shot by police despite being unarmed, numerous cuts to public services, both of which led to anger in communities). 1.5k people prosecuted.

Marxists argue blame should be on unfair nature of capitalism that leads many to commit crime out of necessity or rebellion.

Goffman

In total institutions (e.g. prisons, psychiatric hospitals, the army) all areas of life activities are controlled, in the same place and one activity leads to the next in a prearranged time. Those who spend lots of time in total institutions can become institutionalised, losing ability to deal life outside.

Many individuals are mortified - sense of self is stripped from them and denied. Clothing/personal items removed, generic uniform is given to them, haircuts and prison/soldier numbers intended to strip away what gives us our sense of identity. Identification w one’s norms and vals stripped away due to lack of control over movement/need for permission.

Demonstrates how formal social control can have dramatic impact on identity and behaviour of those experiencing total institutions.

Right Realists

Punishment should be stricter e.g. exclusion from society, incarceration, prison, electronic tagging. Idea is that those making bad choices should be removed from society to protect others. Act as a deterrent, warn of consequences - less likely they’ll rationally choose to commit the crime. E.g. in USA ‘three strikes and you’re out’ aka retributive justice means after 3 separate convictions you’ll get an automatic life sentence even if it’s less serious. Suggest prison works as a deterrent; very high prison population means some in favour of death penalty (less in prison and less expensive).

Secondly, suggest police should be stricter - zero tolerance - pick up on small crimes e.g. littering and impose heavy penalties. Should make criminals think seriously about actions and avoid turning to life of crime. When introduced to NYC crime dropped significantly (tho crime alsoi dropped in cities not using zero tolerance and the USA has second highest level of incarceration in the world and high crime rates - clearly doesn’t work.

Murray & Herrnstein

Some people born with a predisposition to aggression, argumentativeness, temper and impulsiveness = criminal and deviant behaviour without appropriate intervention. Highlight that effective informal social control from family can help so that personal traits are controlled/changed.

Suggests how informal social control can be effective in preventing more extreme behaviour like criminal activity.