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Functionalistic Theories - Coggle Diagram
Functionalistic Theories
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Merton's Strain Theory
We have collective goals of material success but we do not have the legitimate means to achieve them -> mainly the working class that are denied the benefits, opportunities are blocked and they experience strain (discrepancies between culturally defined goals & the institutionalised means available to achieve them) and anomie (loss of shared norms)
Strive for material success so resort to 1/4 ways to do it:
- Innovation: accept goal but find illegal ways of achieving success by committing utilitarian crimes
- Retreatism: dropouts who reject both norms & values over society
- Ritualism: give up striving for success, plod along in their dead-end job
- Rebellion: reject existing goals and means, replacing them with new ones with the aim of changing society
Key Idea: Blocked opportunities to achieve society’s goals by legitimate means cause individuals to use criminal means
Evaluation
Strengths
Merton shows how normal & deviant behaviour can arise from the same goals, conformists & innovators both pursue ‘money success’ but by different means
Recognised the role of structural inequality in crime & highlighted the lack of opportunities available to some groups
Weaknesses
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Sees deviance solely as an individual response, ignoring the group deviance of deviant subcultures
Subcultural Theories
Cloward & Ohlin
3 subcultures:
1) Criminal: arise I areas where there is a longstanding professional criminal networks, youths are seeing as an apprentice in utilitarian crimes & seek a future as a career criminal
2) Conflict: where the only criminal opportunities are with street gangs. Violence is a release for frustration & a source of status earned by winning territory of rival gangs
3) Retreatist: made up of dropouts who have failed on legitimate & illegitimate opportunity structure due often to drug use
Key Idea: Individuals whose legitimate opportunities are blocked may turn to deviant subcultures as a means of achieving status
Evaluation
Strengths
Shows how subcultures perform a functions for their members by offering solutions to the problem of failing to achieve goals legitimately
Cloward & Ohlin show how different types of neighbourhoods give rise to different illegitimate opportunities & different subcultures
Weaknesses
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Subcultures are not as clear a what Cloward & Ohlin claim some show characteristics of all 3 types & are not as distinct