A2 Sociology- Crime (Divider One- Homework Booklet notes)
Functionalism
Functionalists believe that too much crime is destabilising, but they also see crime as inevitable and
beneficial. For Durkheim ‘Crime is normal… an integral part of all healthy societies’.
They argue that crime exists for two reasons. Firstly, not everyone is equally effectively socialised
into shared norms and values. Secondly, in complex modern societies there is a diversity of lifestyles
and values, and what members of some subcultures regard as normal, mainstream society may
regard as deviant.
In Durkheim’s view, modern societies tend towards anomie. This is because modern societies have a
complex, specialised division of labour which leads to individuals becoming increasingly different to
one another. This weakens the shared collective conscience, and results in higher levels of deviance.
For example, Durkheim sees anomie as a cause of suicide.
The Two Positive Functions of crime:
Boundary Maintenance:
Crime produces a reaction from society, uniting in condemnation of the wrongdoer and reinforcing
commitment to the shared norms and values. For Durkheim, the purpose of punishment is to
reaffirms society’s shared rules and reinforce social solidarity.
Cohen (1972) has examined the important role played by the media in this ‘dramatization of evil’. In
his view, media coverage of crime and deviance often creates ‘folk devils’.
Adaptation and change:
For Durkheim, all change starts with an act of deviance.
For Durkheim, neither a very high or very low level of crime is desirable. Each of these signals some
malfunctioning of the social system. Too much crime threatens to tear the bonds of society apart.
Too little means that society is repressing and controlling its members too much, stifling individual
freedom and preventing change.
Other functions of crime:
Kingsley
Davis (1937:1961) argues that prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release of men’s sexual
frustrations without threatening the monogamous nuclear family.
Ned Polsky (1967) argues that pornography safely channels a variety of sexual desires away from
alternatives such as adultery.
Albert Cohen identifies another function of deviance: a warning that an institution isn’t functioning
properly.
Kai Erikson (1966) argues that if deviance performs positive social functions, then perhaps it means
society is actually organised so as to promote deviance. He suggests that the true function of
agencies of social control such as the police may actually be to sustain a certain level of crime.
Criticisms:
Functionalism
Functionalists believe that too much crime is destabilising, but they also see crime as inevitable and
beneficial. For Durkheim ‘Crime is normal… an integral part of all healthy societies’.
They argue that crime exists for two reasons. Firstly, not everyone is equally effectively socialised
into shared norms and values. Secondly, in complex modern societies there is a diversity of lifestyles
and values, and what members of some subcultures regard as normal, mainstream society may
regard as deviant.
In Durkheim’s view, modern societies tend towards anomie. This is because modern societies have a
complex, specialised division of labour which leads to individuals becoming increasingly different to
one another. This weakens the shared collective conscience, and results in higher levels of deviance.
For example, Durkheim sees anomie as a cause of suicide.
The Two Positive Functions of crime:
Boundary Maintenance:
Crime produces a reaction from society, uniting in condemnation of the wrongdoer and reinforcing
commitment to the shared norms and values. For Durkheim, the purpose of punishment is to
reaffirms society’s shared rules and reinforce social solidarity.
Cohen (1972) has examined the important role played by the media in this ‘dramatization of evil’. In
his view, media coverage of crime and deviance often creates ‘folk devils’.
Adaptation and change:
For Durkheim, all change starts with an act of deviance.
For Durkheim, neither a very high or very low level of crime is desirable. Each of these signals some
malfunctioning of the social system. Too much crime threatens to tear the bonds of society apart.
Too little means that society is repressing and controlling its members too much, stifling individual
freedom and preventing change.
Other functions of crime:
Kingsley
Davis (1937:1961) argues that prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release of men’s sexual
frustrations without threatening the monogamous nuclear family.
Ned Polsky (1967) argues that pornography safely channels a variety of sexual desires away from
alternatives such as adultery.
Albert Cohen identifies another function of deviance: a warning that an institution isn’t functioning
properly.
Kai Erikson (1966) argues that if deviance performs positive social functions, then perhaps it means
society is actually organised so as to promote deviance. He suggests that the true function of
agencies of social control such as the police may actually be to sustain a certain level of crime.
Criticisms:
