Theories and patterns of crime and deviance

Crime convictions data suggestions

Young, male and working class

Rosenbaum 6 reasons on problem communities

Poverty, poor housing conditions, low income

Poor schools, active drug use,limited community control

What was Webster and kingstons research

A study between poverty and crime

The social exclusion unit views on prisoners

. Would’ve beeen in care system

. Traunted and excluded from school

. Experienced lon term unemployment

. Experienced mental or substance abuse

Reasons why middle class crimes are less likely to be recorded

Victims unaware

Deal with matters internally due to wanting to avoid publicity

What does haste suggest

That middle class have moral codes that include environmentalism but will be involved in crimes against businesses

What are the 3 types of middle class crimes

1) corporate crime illegal crimes carried out by companies to maximise profit

2)white collar/ occupational crimes carried out by workers

3) Ponzi schemes, where people ask others to invest in a business but spend money instead

How are kids treated in the court

Under age on 10 and until 18th birthday they are treated by youth courts and given diff sentencing

Youth offending data

Kids aged 15 and 17 make up 80% of offending population.

Ways to prevent arrests and stop offfenders from repeating

Anti social behaviour orders issued by police

2) reprimands/ warning and cautions by the polic

3) on the spot fines or penalty notice for disorder

4) triage schemes operated by police

Owen and coopers report

Most first offenders carried out. Y young people were either theft or robberies. 21% being violence

Data stats for adults crimes 30-39

67% end in fines, 12% end in community services

How do functionalists view society

As a stable system based on shared values but crime and deviance disrupts the stability

How functionalists view deviance

As inevitable and functional to society

What does social control mean

Mechanisms which include rewards for conformity and punishments for deviance

What is Durkheim view on society

Crime is inevitable and universal.

Durkheim views on why crime is inevitable

Not everyone is equally socialised

I modern complex societies there is a diversity of lifestyle an values

What does anomie/ normlesseness mean

Rule governing behaviour becomes weaker because society has a more complex division of labour

What does the collective conscience mean Durkheim

Basis of society is set on shared values that guide our actions

Boundary maintenance ( functionalist, functions of crime)

Crime producing a reaction from society which helps reinforce existing values

Examples of boundary maintainance

2011 uk riots ( people comin together to clean up streets after riots)

Adaptation and change (Durkheim)

All change starts with acts of deviance,so individuals wit new ideas must be willing to show

Examples of adaptation and change ( functions of crime)

Natasha’s law , law protecting allergy sufferers

Suffragettes, led to gradual reforms like equal pay

Gay right movement,

Evaluation of boundary maintainance

Ignores how crime and deviance affects individuals

Evaluation of adaptation and change

Society requires a certain amount of deviance to function successfully

Safety light Davis

Argue that prostitution acts as a safety value for men to release sexual frustrations

Examples of safety value

Polsky, argues that pornography helps channel variety of sexual desires away from adults

Evaluation of safety value

Doesn’t explain why some people commit crimes and others dont

Warning light Cohen

Argues that deviance indicates wen an institution is malfunctioning

Examples of warning light

Truancy, high rates indicate there’s a problem with education system

Evaluation of warning light (Marxism)

Assumes that norms and was reflect wishes of population

What is Morton’s strain theory (American dream)

That no matter the background anyone can make it.

Strain theory argument

That crime occurs when there aren’t enough legitimate opportunities to get successful

What are the two elements that the strain theory combines

Structural factors- unequal opportunities

Cultural factors- strong emphasis on success and weaker emphasis on how to legitimately make it

Responses to Morton’s strain theory

Conformity

Innovation

Ritualism

Retreatism

Rebellion

What do the responses to Merton mean ( conformist)

Typical law abiding citizens that accept (materialistic and legal) way of making money

What does Mertons response (innovation) mean

Those at lower end of class structure (accept materialistic goal but reject legal ways of making money)

Mertons ritualism response

Typical lower middle class in dead end routines (reject materialistic but accept legal ways of making money) attached to legitimaket

Mmerton retreatist response

Drop out rate chase(failures) reject both materialistic and legitimate money making ways

Mertons rebellion responses

Eco terrorist

Equation/ strength of Mertons responses

Shows how both normal and deviant behaviour can arise from same mainstream goals

Evaluation/ weakenesses of Mertons response

Only account for utilitarian crime for monetary gain( and not crimes of violence, vandalism)

Sees crime as w/c phenomenon

Control theories argument Hirschi

That all human beings suffer from weaknesses which make them unable to resist temptation and turn to crime.

The four bonds of attachment( Hirschi)

Attachment

Commmitment

Involvement

Belief

What does attachment mean for Hirschi

How much we care about what other think

What does involvement mean to Hirschi

How involved we are with society

What does belief mean to Hirschi

Belief of law and religion

What does this control theory suggest about those that are more likely to commit a crime

Those with no family, work, school or a clear moral code.

Strengths of Hirschi

Help introduce wys of preventing crime

Criticism of Hirschi

Doesn’t address issue of why some have secure bonds of attachment and why others are marginalised

Name the two functionalists of subcultural theories

Cohen

Cloward & Ohlin

Cohen (Functionalist) why does crime occur

W/c boys ar cultural deprived and lack skills to achieve leaving them at botttom of hierarchy and suffer status frustration . The resolve this by rejecting mainstream M/c values and form a subculture which provides illegitimate opourtuinties. And can win status through delinquent acts

Evaluation of Cohen (functionalist )

Ores elation of non utilitarian deviance but assumes that we boys accept mc goal and reject them when the fail

Cloward and Ohlin why crime occurs (functionalist)

They note that not everyone adapts to a lack of legitimate opouunitie by turning to (utilitarian crimes)

The three subcultures of Cloward& Ohlin

Criminal Subculture (professionals)

Conflict subculture (gangs)

Retreatist subculture (dropouts)

What does the criminal subculture men (Cloward and Ohlin)

Ofer apprenticeship in utilitarian crime, hierarchy of adult crime and provide opourtunities of criminal career ladder

Conflict subculture (Cloward and Ohlin)

Illegitimate opportunities in loosel organised gangs status is earned by wining turfs

Retreatist subculture ( Cloward and Ohlin)

Focus activities on substance abuse, lack opportunities in adult crimes, double failures fail in both legitimate and illegitimate ways

Miller focal concerns

Working class culture had a different set of values and norms

Miller focal concerns values 5 of working class culture

Toughness and trouble

Excitement

Smartness

Fatalism

Autonomy

Autonomy miller

Reject people in authority

Fatalism miller

An acceptance of fate and that future cant be changed

Smartness miller

Looking good

Excitement miller

Looking for kicks a desire for fun and thrill

Toughness and trouble miller

Violence is part of life and you need to be able to look after yourslef

Criticisms of focal concerns miller

Not found within working class subculture (rugby is a violent game)

Toughness found in other subcultures not just w/c