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Topic 4- causes of crime, functionalists, strain and subcultural - Coggle…
Topic 4- causes of crime, functionalists, strain and subcultural
Functionalist
Crime is functional:
Durkheim
-crime can draw people together and bring about social cohesion
-core values in society that everyone believes in- when crime breaks these, they bring moral anger and at the same time strengthen core values e.g. murder in Southport
-Crime against children produce universal outrage, anger and despair
-This is a reaction of collective consciousness- you don't harm children you look after them
-a certain amount of crime serves a positive function e.g. criminal trials serve the following
-shared norms and values are reaffirmed
-people are reminded of boundaries and acceptable behaviour
-people unite against the condemned
-public response reinforces integration and social solidarity
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Evaluation of Durkheim
-do we really have shared values?
-assumes all crime is functional but not for the victim e.g. rape
-provides no clear guidance on what is an acceptable level of crime for society
-crime can easily lead to a divide
Strain theory
Merton
-he is a functionalist
-believes in shared goals
-he believes crime is not useful for the function of society but happens because of dysfunction
Strain theory:
-crime happens in a society when people cannot achieve socially approved goals and what is collectively seen as good.
-he observed this in people trying to achieve the American goal and were at strain
-equal access to these goals didn't exist
-strain between social encouraged goals and socially acceptable means to achieve them
Socially approved goals and means:
-success is measured in terms of money and material possessions. There are socially approved means of achieving success such as qualifications. The American dream states that ANYBODY can make it to the top if they try hard enough
Anomie happens due to people striving for a lifestyle they cannot achieves which leads them to crime:
-many people experience pressure to deviate from the socially approved means. Crime and deviance occur when people reject the socially approved goals. People are tempted to use criminal behaviour to get to the top
Social structure:
-not everyone has an equal chance of success. The social structure prevents equal opportunity. The strain anomie is most strongly felt by those at the bottom of the class structure. They are less likely to acquire the skills and qualifications to reach the top. As a result they are more likely to seek alternative routes (committing crime)
How do people respond to strain:
Conformist- wants American dream, have the acceptable ways to get it
Innovator- wants American dream, doesn't have acceptable ways to get it
Ritualist- doesn't want American dream, has the acceptable ways of getting it
Retreatist- doesn't want the American dream and doesn't have the acceptable ways to get it. e.g. drug addicts
Rebel- want and doesn't want both goals and means (they replace them with their own goals and means, wish to create a new society e.g. terrorists)
Evaluation
-too deterministic- assumes wc all commit crime
-doesn't explain why mc commit crime
-not all crime is for economic gain, what about non-utilitarian crime
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