Functionalist perspective NO2

Functionalist sociologists view crime as natural and inevitable part of society. It plays a functional role in maintaining social order.

Key theorists and concepts

Emile Durkheim

  • Crime is inevitable-

  • No society can ever be free from crime

  • Individuals are exposed to different values, and not will be fully socialised into shared norms

  • Deviance is bound to occur

  • Crime is normal, an integral part of all healthy societies

  • Crime has positive functions-

  1. Boundary maintenance:

  • When someone breaks the law, it reinforces shared norms and values to society

  • The reaction (punishment, public outrage) reminds members of the limits of acceptable behaviour

    Adaptation and change-

  • Some deviance is necessary to allow societal change

  • Those who challenge outdated norms may be seen as deviant but could push society forward

  • Example- Martin Luther King Jr or suffragettes

Social cohesion-

  • In the aftermath of shocking crimes, communities often come together in solidarity

  • This strengthens social bonds

    When crime becomes dysfunctional-

  • Too much crime= Anomie

  • Happens when shared norms break down, often during social change or economic upheaval

Crime no longer strengthens society, it becomes destabilising

Strengths-

  • Introduced the idea that crime can have functions and be socially beneficial

  • Helps explain why crime exists in all societies

  • Forms the foundation for later functionalist theory’s (Merton, Cohen, Cloward and Ohlen)

Weaknesses-

  • Neglects the victim- Focuses on how society benefits, but what about those harmed?

  • Assumes a value consensus- Not all people share the same norms

  • Dosent explain why some groups commit more crime than others

  • Ignores power and inequality- Marxists argue that law mainly protects the rich

Merton

  • Crime arises when theres a strain between goals and means

  • Argued that deviance occurs when people cannot achieve socially approved goals through legitimate means

Key concepts-

  1. American Dream-

  • In American culture, people are encouraged to strive for material success e.g. wealth, status, property

  • Legitimate means to achieve this= education, hard work and employment

  • Not everyone has equal access to legitimate means due to structural inequalities (poverty, poor schooling, discrimination)

  1. Strain between goals and means

  • When people are unable to achieve goals through approved means, they experience strain

  • Leads to frustration, which can result in deviant behaviour

5 modes of adaptation-

  1. Conformity- Accept goals and means

  2. Innovation- Accept goals, use illegitimate means (theft)

  3. Ritualism- Reject goals, follow means

  4. Retreatism- Reject both (addicts)

  5. Rebellion- Create new goals and means

Strengths-

  • Explains why working class people may commit more crime

  • First to link crime to structural causes, not just individual phycology

  • Inspired subcultural theories (Cohen, Cloward and Ohlen)

Criticisms-

  • Focuses on individual responses- Dosent explain group or gang crime well

  • Assumes a shared goal (material success)- Postmodernists argue people have diverse goals

  • Dosent explain white-collar or state crime- many successful people still offend

  • Ignores gender and ethnicity- dosent explain why some groups commit more crime even with access

Albert Cohen- Status frustration (subcultural theory)

Key ideas-

Critique of Merton-

  • Merton’s theory only explained individual deviance (theft for money)

  • Cohen argued that much juvenile delinquency is group-based and often violent and antisocial (vandalism and fighting) not always for financial gain

Status frustration-

  • WC boys experience blocked opportunities in school due to cultural and material deprivation

  • Schools are middle class institutions, and many working class boys fail to achieve status through legitimate means (qualifications, approval from teachers)

  • Leads to status frustration- feeling of personal failure

Formation of delinquent subcultures-

  • Due to frustration, boys reject mainstream values and form delinquent subcultures

These subcultures-

  • Reverse mainstream norms (they value disrespect and rule-breaking)

  • Provides an alternative status hierarchy where boys gain respect through deviance

  • Reward acts like vandalism, fighting and truancy

Strengths-

  • Explains group deviance

  • Accounts for crime with no economic gain

  • Highlights the role of the school system in producing deviance

Weaknesses-

  • Assumes that all working class boys share mainstream goals and just cant achieve them

  • Ignores female delinquency- focuses only on males

  • Deterministic- Implies that failure in school always leads to crime '

  • Marxists argue that Cohen overlooks wider structural inequalities and the role of capitalism

Cloward and Ohlin- Illegitimate opportunity structures

Key ideas

Different access to illegitimate opportunity structures-

  • Just as people have unequal access to legitimate opportunities (like jobs and education), they also have access to illegitimate opportunities (like criminal networks)

  • Not everyone that experiences strain can become a successful criminal- it depends on their environment

3 types of delinquent subcultures-

Criminal- Organised crime (gangs)

  • Found in stable, organised working-class neighbourhoods

  • There’s a clear criminal hierachy where criminals train and mentor younger offenders

  • Crimes are utilitarian (money based)- drug dealing, burglary, fraud

Conflict-

  • Found in disorganised areas with high population turnover and weak social cohesion

  • No stable criminal network- violence becomes a means to gain respect and status

  • Non-utilitarian crimes- gang violence, turf wars, intimidation

Retreatist-

  • For those who fail in both the legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures- ‘double failures’

  • Often turn to drugs, alcohol, petty crime or vacancy

  • These subcultures are focused on escapism, not status or profit

Strengths-

  • Explains different forms of deviance based on social environment

  • Builds on Merton and Cohen by adding structure and variety to subcultural theory’s

  • Recognises both economic and non-economic motivation for crime

Weaknesses-

  • Sharp division between subcultures is artificial- many overlap (gangs sell drugs and use violence)

  • Ignores white collar and corporate crime- Focuses only on WC youths

  • Deterministic- Assumes everyone in deprived areas will become deviant

  • Fails to explain female-deviance or middle class deviance

Strengths of the functionalist view

  • Highlights the importance of social structure

  • Shows that crime can have social functions

  • Useful in understanding patterns in crime (working class subcultures)

Criticisms

  • Too positive- Ignores the harm that crime causes

  • Assumes a value consensus- Not all agree on norms

  • Deterministic- Assumes that people are pushed into crime

  • Ignores white collar crime