Functionalist theory of crime
Social control
Various methods used to persuade / force individuals to conform to the dominant social norms and values of a society / group
Formal - written laws and rules, associated with the way society regulates behaviour and actions (eg. laws, school)
Informal - unwritten rules and processes, approved by people / enforced social pressure (eg. media, religion, family, friends)
Durkheim - functions of crime
Reaffirming boundaries
Media and public shaming
Showing society what will happen if laws are broken
Reminding people that they need to be law abiding
Strengthens collective consciousness
Eg. child abuse cases cause public disapproval
Changing values
Every so often when people are taken to court, important questions are raised about the justice system reflecting changes in time, values, and ideas
Eg. Kiranjit Ahluwalia, abused for 10 years, killed her husband and her case was changed from murder to manslaughter
Social cohesion
Crime also strengthens, when horrific crimes are committed, the community comes together
Eg. George Floyd, London riots
Safety valve
Deviance acts as a pressure release
Allows individuals to express themselves in ways which is not criminal
Eg. student protests
Analysis (AO3)
London riots (theft, looting, burning)
Thought police brutality was wrong (shot an unarmed man)
Weakened collective consciousness
Merton's strain theory
Evaluation (AO3)
Helps us understand how anomie occurs (too much crime, breakdown of social cohesion)
Not everyone agrees with the shared norms and values
Lea and Young - ignores the harm that crime causes
Ignores power inequalities between powerful groups
Walton and Young - it is not the crime itself that is useful, but the publicising of the crime
Argues that social order is based on a consensus around social goals and the approved means of achieving them (eg. the American dream)
Value consensus - shared norms and values that success is measured by wealth
People are more focused on meeting this goal rather than the means of doing so
5 responses to strain
Conformity
Individual conforms to the norms and values and continues with the same goals
Eg. non deviant conformist citizens
Innovation
Same goals but new methods of achieving them
Eg. drug dealers
Ritualism
Give up on goals but still follow norms and conform
Eg. employee gives up on promotion but still works
Retreatism
Gives up on goals and norms and values of society
Eg. drug addicts
Rebellion
Creates new goals and new ways of achieving them
Eg. revolutionaries or religious sects
Analysis (AO3)
Relevant as ethnic minorities commit crimes for material gain
Doesn't consider white collar crime
Doesn't consider crimes that aren't for material gain
Useful as it explains why crime is committed, so can be prevented
Hirschi's control theory
Shares similar view to Durkheim - that social order is based on shared values
Focuses on why people don't commit crime
Attachment - people are attached to those around them (eg. mothers)
Commitment - committed to conventional activities so don't want to lose these (eg. employed people)
Involvement - involved in various things and busy (eg. sports teams)
Belief - people share moral beliefs and respect the rights of others (eg. religious people)
Analysis (AO3)
Policies that relate to social control
Neighbourhood watch, ASBOs, parental responsibilities
Evaluation (AO3)
Recognises importance of social cohesion
Not having controls doesn't mean you will commit crime
AO2
Fertility doctor swapped donors' sperm for his own, fathering over 200 children
Had 4 controls but still committed crime
Cost of living - more strain