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Functionalist perspective of crime - Coggle Diagram
Functionalist perspective of crime
Durkheim
4 functions of crime
Strengthens collective values
Enables social change
Acts as a 'safety valve'
Acts a warning device
Crime in inevitable and necessary
Law may change to reflect the public's attitudes.
Crime is a threat when rates are too high or too low
The role of crime is to identify the boundary between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour - arresting shows this
Merton: strain theory
Stress of achieving goals promotes deviant behaviour
Theory developed on the idea of the American Dream
Legitimate and illegitimate means
5 responses to this strain between goals and means
Conformity
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreatism
Rebellion
Subcultural strain theories
Crime is a result of subcultures having different norms and values to mainstream culture
Cohen
Crime is a result of the lower class' inability to achieve through means such as education
Merten ignores that most crimes are committed in groups and only focuses on utilitarian crime
Focuses on deviance amongst WC boys, they face anomie in MC dominated school system
Inability to succeed leaves them at the bottom of MC hierarchy = status frustration. Reject MC values and create deviant subcultures - create own illegitimate opportunity structure
Hirschi: control theory
Deviant behaviour occurs when an individuals attachment to society is weakened
Increasing attachment to society by improving these factors will lower crime levels
Attahcment
Involvement
Commitment
Belief
Hirschi doesn't explain why some have weaker bonds than other, and doesn't recognise it's possible to have tight social bonds and be devient e.g. MC doing drugs