Topic 1- Functionalism,Strain theory and Subcultural theory
Sociologists What do they say? Evaluation
Durkheim .Crime is normal since it is an integral part of healthy . Doesn’t state how much crime is
society the right amount
. Crime has 2 functions:
1. Boundary maintenance- produces a reaction from .Doesn’t explain why crime exists
society in the first place
2. Adaptation and change- change of existing norms
and values is required . Ignores how crime affects
individuals and groups
. Too much or too little crime is a problem for society
. Crime doesn’t always promote
solidarity,since it may have the
opposite effect and lead people to
become more isolated
Davis Argues that there are other functions of society:
Prostitution- acts as safety valve since men can release
their frustration without threatening the nuclear family
Polsky Pornography is beneficial for society- it safely
‘’channels’’ a variety of sexual desires away from
alternatives such as adultery and it doesn’t affect the
nuclear family
Merton Strain theory- based on 2 things: . He sees crime as mainly a
1. Structural factors- society’s unequal opportunity working-class phenomenon
structure . It is too deterministic- wc
2. Cultural factors- strong emphasis on achieving experience the most strain but not
goals and weaker emphasis on using legitimate all deviate
means to achieve them . Masrxists- ignores the power of
. The desire to success and lack of legitimate means the ruling class to enforce laws in
creates the pressure to turn to illegitimate means such easy that criminalise the poor but
as crime and deviance not the rich
. It assumes value consensus that
everyone wants to strive for
money but not everyone strives
for that goal
. It only accounts for utilitarian
(property) crime but ignores
non-utilitarian crime (violent)
crime
There are 5 adaptations to strain: Conformity,
Innovation,Ritualism, Retreatism and Rebellion
,Cohen Status frustration- a sense of personal failure and . It assumes that the wc boys
inadequacy share the same goals as mc ,
. Due to status frustration most of the crime acts are a ignoring the possibility that they
means of gaining status through an alternative set of never shared the same goals and
values never saw themselves as failures
. She provides an explanation for group based crime
and deviance and also non-utilitarian crime
Cloward .Argue that different neighbourhoods provide different . Miller- ws has its own
and Ohlin illegitimate opportunities for young people to learn independent subculture that has
criminal skills and develop criminal careers its own norms and values
. There are 3 types of deviant subcultures: Criminal,
Conflict and Retreatist subculture
Matza . Drift relates to a period of time youths feel like they
have no control over their own lives and are more likely
to engage in deviant behaviour
. They’ll drift out of crime again when a decent
opportunity presents itself
Messner . Economic goals are valued above anything else
and . Societies that protect the poor with adequate welfare
Rosenfeld provision have less crime
. Societies based on free-market capitalism and
inadequate welfare provision will inevitably have higher
crime rates
, Topic 2:Interactionism and Labelling Theory
Sociologists What do they say? Evaluation
Becker A deviant is someone to whom the label has been
successfully applied and deviant behaviour is
simply behaviour that people so label
. Moral entrepreneurs- people who lead a moral
campaign to change the law
. It creates a group of ‘’outsiders’’
. It creates expansion of social control agencies
Social control agencies may also campaign for a
change in the law to increase their own power.
Piliavin and Police decisions to arrest a youth were mainly
Briar based on physical cues ( such as manner and
dress)
Officer’s decisions were also influenced by the
suspect’s gender, class and ethnicity as well as
time and place
Cicourel Officer’s decisions to arrest are influenced by
stereotypes of what a typical delinquent is like
. Resulted in law enforcement showing class bias
. In his view justice isn’t fixed but negotiable
. Statistics don’t give us a valid picture of the
patterns of crime and can’t be used a sa resource
Lemert . Primary and secondary deviance . Downes and Rock- an
. Master status- once an individual is labelled, individual is always free to
others may come to see them only in terms of the choose not to deviate further
label
. Deviant career- reinforces ‘’outsider’’ status
Jack Young . Study of hippy marijuana users . Downes and Rock- an
. Due to control of police, they retreated into individual is always free to
groups where they began to develop a deviant choose not to deviate further
subculture which created a self-fulfilling prophecy
. Drug use became a central activity
Cohen . Study of Folk Devils and Moral panic
. Press exaggeration provokes public concern
Deviance . Deviance amplification spiral
amplification . Police respond harsher and courts give harsher
spiral penalties
Triplett . Notices an increasing tendency to see young . De Haan notices similar
offenders as bad and to be less tolerant of minor outcomes in Holland
deviance
. Increasing stigmatisation of young offenders
Sociologists What do they say? Evaluation
Durkheim .Crime is normal since it is an integral part of healthy . Doesn’t state how much crime is
society the right amount
. Crime has 2 functions:
1. Boundary maintenance- produces a reaction from .Doesn’t explain why crime exists
society in the first place
2. Adaptation and change- change of existing norms
and values is required . Ignores how crime affects
individuals and groups
. Too much or too little crime is a problem for society
. Crime doesn’t always promote
solidarity,since it may have the
opposite effect and lead people to
become more isolated
Davis Argues that there are other functions of society:
Prostitution- acts as safety valve since men can release
their frustration without threatening the nuclear family
Polsky Pornography is beneficial for society- it safely
‘’channels’’ a variety of sexual desires away from
alternatives such as adultery and it doesn’t affect the
nuclear family
Merton Strain theory- based on 2 things: . He sees crime as mainly a
1. Structural factors- society’s unequal opportunity working-class phenomenon
structure . It is too deterministic- wc
2. Cultural factors- strong emphasis on achieving experience the most strain but not
goals and weaker emphasis on using legitimate all deviate
means to achieve them . Masrxists- ignores the power of
. The desire to success and lack of legitimate means the ruling class to enforce laws in
creates the pressure to turn to illegitimate means such easy that criminalise the poor but
as crime and deviance not the rich
. It assumes value consensus that
everyone wants to strive for
money but not everyone strives
for that goal
. It only accounts for utilitarian
(property) crime but ignores
non-utilitarian crime (violent)
crime
There are 5 adaptations to strain: Conformity,
Innovation,Ritualism, Retreatism and Rebellion
,Cohen Status frustration- a sense of personal failure and . It assumes that the wc boys
inadequacy share the same goals as mc ,
. Due to status frustration most of the crime acts are a ignoring the possibility that they
means of gaining status through an alternative set of never shared the same goals and
values never saw themselves as failures
. She provides an explanation for group based crime
and deviance and also non-utilitarian crime
Cloward .Argue that different neighbourhoods provide different . Miller- ws has its own
and Ohlin illegitimate opportunities for young people to learn independent subculture that has
criminal skills and develop criminal careers its own norms and values
. There are 3 types of deviant subcultures: Criminal,
Conflict and Retreatist subculture
Matza . Drift relates to a period of time youths feel like they
have no control over their own lives and are more likely
to engage in deviant behaviour
. They’ll drift out of crime again when a decent
opportunity presents itself
Messner . Economic goals are valued above anything else
and . Societies that protect the poor with adequate welfare
Rosenfeld provision have less crime
. Societies based on free-market capitalism and
inadequate welfare provision will inevitably have higher
crime rates
, Topic 2:Interactionism and Labelling Theory
Sociologists What do they say? Evaluation
Becker A deviant is someone to whom the label has been
successfully applied and deviant behaviour is
simply behaviour that people so label
. Moral entrepreneurs- people who lead a moral
campaign to change the law
. It creates a group of ‘’outsiders’’
. It creates expansion of social control agencies
Social control agencies may also campaign for a
change in the law to increase their own power.
Piliavin and Police decisions to arrest a youth were mainly
Briar based on physical cues ( such as manner and
dress)
Officer’s decisions were also influenced by the
suspect’s gender, class and ethnicity as well as
time and place
Cicourel Officer’s decisions to arrest are influenced by
stereotypes of what a typical delinquent is like
. Resulted in law enforcement showing class bias
. In his view justice isn’t fixed but negotiable
. Statistics don’t give us a valid picture of the
patterns of crime and can’t be used a sa resource
Lemert . Primary and secondary deviance . Downes and Rock- an
. Master status- once an individual is labelled, individual is always free to
others may come to see them only in terms of the choose not to deviate further
label
. Deviant career- reinforces ‘’outsider’’ status
Jack Young . Study of hippy marijuana users . Downes and Rock- an
. Due to control of police, they retreated into individual is always free to
groups where they began to develop a deviant choose not to deviate further
subculture which created a self-fulfilling prophecy
. Drug use became a central activity
Cohen . Study of Folk Devils and Moral panic
. Press exaggeration provokes public concern
Deviance . Deviance amplification spiral
amplification . Police respond harsher and courts give harsher
spiral penalties
Triplett . Notices an increasing tendency to see young . De Haan notices similar
offenders as bad and to be less tolerant of minor outcomes in Holland
deviance
. Increasing stigmatisation of young offenders
