Crime and deviance - Functionalism

Functionalism introduction in crime

• Consensus Theory - social institutions generally work, social control’s good, crime’s dysfunctional.

• Closely related to Subcultural Theories.

• Historical Period: 1890-1940s

Durkheim’s Functionalist Theory

Crime is natural and inevitable, society needs crime.

There are three positive functions of crime:

1. Social Integration

2. Social Regulation

3. Social Change

Hirschi’s Social Control/Bonds of Attachment

Crime is most common amongst individuals who are detached from society.

Four types of attachment

1. Commitment

2. Involvement

3. Attachment

4. Belief

Correlation between truancy, single parent households, unemployment and crime.

Merton’s Strain Theory

There is a strain between society’s cultural value system (valuing money) and the social structure which fails to provide opportunities for everyone to achieve these goals legitimately.

In times of strain, there are five adaptations:

1. Innovation (criminal)

2. Retreatism (criminal)

3. Rebellion (criminal)

4. Ritualism

5. Conformity

Institutional Anomie Theory

Merton’s Strain Theory on steroids.

The cultural value system of achieving monetary success was now the core value taught in every institution - the media, and education especially.

Overall Evaluations of Functionalist and Strain Theories of Crime (positive)

• Generally recognise the relationship between social structure and crime.

• Durkheim - crime does exist in every society.

• Durkheim - recognises a crime-free society is an unrealistic goal

• Hirschi - official statistics support

• Merton - explains two different types of deviance

• IAT - recognises recent sociological changes

Overall Evaluations of Functionalist and Strain Theories of Crime (negative)

• Can’t explain hidden crimes e.g. domestic violence.

• Durkheim - fails to ask ‘Functional for whom’ - ignores victim (Left Realism).

• Can’t explain elite crimes, elites are attached (Marxism).

• Ignores power and labelling, doesn’t recognise that crime stats are socially constructed and elite crimes happen but generally aren’t recorded. (Interactionism)

• Can’t explain recent decrease in crime.