sociology crime and deviance

Merton strain theory

Argues people engage in deviant behaviour when they cannot achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means and then resort to illegitimate ways

The American dream

Americans socialised into believing in the American dream and this was a consensus

Example of a meritocratic society

Merton argument

Argued that equal access to the to socially approved goals does not exists and opportunities are blocked for many for example poverty discrimination

What is a conformist

Accepts and strives to achieve goals through legitimate means

what is a innovator (criminal)

Uses illegitimate goals to achieve socially approved goals

what is ritualist

Accepts legitimate means but give up on achieving socially approved goals WC

what is an retreatist

Individuals reject both goals and legitimate means and drop out of society - drug, alcohol addicts

What is rebel

Replace existing goals with new ones bringing about social change- illegal protest and political violence

Merton evaluations

Merton presents explanations for crime but not non utilitarian crime nothing to explain drug abuse of vandalism

Too deterministic- WC who experience strain don’t always deviate

Durkheim theory of crime

Too much crime = instability Too little crime = stagnation

Durkheim functions of crime

Boundary maintenance- crime produces a reaction from society unites members against wrongdoer reinforces the law and produces social solidarity

Social change- deviant behaviour slowly becomes normal and this made lead to changes in the law eg homosexuality or could change the law to protect better

Durkheim evaluation

Functionalist only examine whet crim does for society as a whole, not functional for the victim

In modern society deviance has sometimes not led to social change climate change, BLM

Cohen subcultural theory

Deviance a product of delinquent subcultures with diff values

Cohen status frustration

Argued WC boys often failed at school and were unable to achieve stays through legitimate means and in response joined gangs to gain status from peers

Alternate status hierarchy

Gained status through deviant acts rather than conformity

Cohen weaknesses

Lyng and Katz argue individuals more likely to to be influenced by boredom or seeking a buzz

May be impulsivity not acting out against status frustrations

Coward and ohlin illegitimate opportunity structures

argue criminal behaviour is driven by the presence of structured criminal subcultures that offer alternative pathways to achieve goals

Criminal subcultures

Organised crime (mafia) where career criminals can socialise youths into their own criminal career (criminal apprenticeship) that might result in material success

Conflict subculture

Gangs organise young people themselves based on claiming territory from other gangs ‘turf wars’ status rewarded for violet and criminal acts

Retreatist subculture

Who are unable to access either legitimate or illegitimate opportunities so drop out altogether but might do so as a group rather than individual such as drug abuse

Evaluations of cloward and ohlin

like Merton and Cohen only focuses on WC crime and ignore crime of wealthy

Matza suggests young males drift in and out of delinquency and subculture are a part of young adulthood

Millers focal concerns

WC developed independent set of norms and values to mainstream society through which they gain status

focal concerns examples

Excitement seek excitement through drugs and joy riding

Toughness wish to prove the are tough

Smartness they use street smartness seen in gambling

Trouble links to excitement and toughness

Autonomy they wish to be independent not reliant on others reluctant to report other crime

Fate they believe their future is already decided deterministic

Evaluation of miller

Matza argued we all share deviant values but learn to not act on them

Matza subterranean values and drift

People drift in and out of delinquency and criminal are not too different from normal people

Matza techniques of neutralisation

Denial of responsibility

Denial of injury

Denial of victim

Condemnation of the other condemers

Appeal to higher loyalty’s