functionalism

belief

crime is a normal and healthy part of society. it has positive functions

boundary maintenance

durkheim

crime causes a reaction from society and norms/values are reinforced

adaptation

crime necessary to allow society to move forward and progress

safety valve

davis

some minor crimes can prevent major ones

ao2 → porn can prevent serious sexual crimes

warning sign

cohen

increase in certain types of crimes can indicate that something in society is not functioning as it should be. change may be needed

functionalism ao3

marxist → theory ignores the role that powerful have in shaping what is criminal and deviant

durkheim → ignores impact that crime has on victims

crime does not always lead to solidarity

says crime is beneficial, but they’re no ways of measuring this

anomie

durkheim

social norms break down or become unclear, leading to confusion about acceptable behavior

strain theory CRIRR

merton

people turn to crime when they can’t achieve socially accepted goals. 5 adaptations to strain

1. conformity → accepting abs trying to achieve society’s goals

2. ritualism → following means to achieve goals but believing you will never achieve them

3. innovation → accepting society money goals through an illegitimate way

4. retreatism → rejecting goals and legitimate means

5. rebellion → rejecting goals and means and replacing with own goals and means

strain ao3

only explains utilitarian crimes

doesn’t explain why people pick the response they do

status frustration

cohen

young ppl get frustrated by their inability to achieve social goals

focus on wc boys suffering from cultural dep

status frustration ao3

willis shows that wc boys and mc boys do not share same idea of status

only discusses youth crime

subcultures

cloward + ohlin

identified 3 subcultures that lead to crime

1. criminal → social young ppl into criminal activities

2. conflict → little social cohesion

3. retreatist → those that fail to gain access to other 2 cultures

subcultures ao3

unlike cohen, explains why there’s different subcultures

south → lines between subcultures thinly drawn. in reality drugs are asa result from professional and unprofessional crime