crime and deviance

Topic 1- functionalism and crime

Durkheim

• crime is inevitable in society- poor socialisation and inequality in absence of norms and values being taught.

• Crime is positive- boundary maintenance-crime is functional in society when there is the rights amount

  1)when people are punishment for committing crimes, teaches rest of society not to go against norms and values. In turn strengthening boundaries and prevention further crime

• Adaptation and change-some crime can be functional for society bc it allows social adaption and change- that for society to have norms and values that change as form of rationalism, criminals act must take place

• David agrees with Durkheim in thar crime can be positive, but in a different way. He believes that prostiutation provides positive functions because it allows men to express sexual frustration without the Athenians the nuclear family

• Ignores the women who were illegally sex trafficked to fit men’s needs.

Merton

• the ideology of the ‘American dream’ tells Americans that their socially in meritorcratice where social mobility an success can happen with hard work.

• However, many disadvantages groups are denied opportunities to achieve legitimately

• Poverty, inadequate schools and discrimination may block opportunities

• The resulting strain between the cuterual goal of money success and lack of legitimates opportunity to achieve produces frusations which results in crime

  5 different responses to the American dream

• Conformation- accepting the goals and legitimates means to achieve them

• Innovation: subscribe to the goals of the American dream but use illegitimate means

• Ritualism-reject the goals but conform the the means

• Reatreatism- reject both goal of the American dreams and subscribe to the illegitimate’s means

• Rebellion- replace the gorilla and means with their own