Paper 3: Crime and Deviance
Functionalist: Strain & subculture theory
Durkheim: society is based on value consensus
People have a common culture of shared norms, values and goals. Durkheim called this shared culture
the collective conscience. There are two key ways social solidarity is created in society:
1. Socialisation:
The process of learning expected norms and values. Socialisation creates a shared culture of behaviour
norms, values and beliefs. Socialisation is the key way the collective consciousness is developed and
passed on.
2. Social control:
Rewards for conformity and sanctions for deviance.
“Crime is normal.. It is an integral part of every healthy society” even in the society of angels there would
be crime. A limited amount of crime is inevitable and even necessary, Crime has positive functions -A
certain amount of crime contributes to the well-being of a society. On the other hand, too much crime is
bad for society and can help bring about its collapse, hence institutions of social control are necessary to
keep the amount of crime in check.
In complex modern societies there is diversity of lifestyles and values. Different groups develop their own
subcultures with their own norms and values. Not everyone is equally well socialised into cultural norms
so they are prone to deviate. Because of the huge division of labour and increased diversity of peoples in
modern society there is a tendency towards anomie = normlessness.
Diversity and complexity makes the shared culture (collective conscience) weaker. Crime and deviance
are easier when the collective conscience is weak. Crime and deviance serve two key functions:
1. Boundary maintenance:
Reaction to crime unites society and reinforces people's commitment to share norms and values. They
key function of punishment is not to make the offender suffer or to reduce crime. Its to reaffirm society’s
shared values and reinforce social solidarity. This is done through the rituals of a courtroom. This is a key
reason why trials and punishments are often public.
2. Adaptation and social change:
All social change starts with an act of crime or deviance. Individuals with new ideas or values must not
be stifled by too much social control. There must be scope for individuals to challenge social norms and
values. There must be neither too much crime and deviance nor too little.
Too much crime and deviance breaks apart the bounds of society and leads to anomie (normlessness).
Too little crime and deviance suggests the society is too repressive.
Other functions of crime: Davis & Polsky
Prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release of men’s sexual frustration without threatening
marriage. Pornography safely channels sexual desires without threatening marriage or family.
Erikson: If crime and deviance are inevitable perhaps the true function of agencies such as the police is
to sustain a certain level of crime rather than rid society of it. Society maintain and regulates deviant
behaviour rather than eliminating it. Cohen argues it functions as a warning that systems are not
functioning correctly.
Carnivals, festivals, demonstrations and other public events encourage behaviour that in other contexts
would be deemed deviant and inappropriate such as Notting Hill, England or Carnival in Rio Brazil.
AO3 Evaluation: Shows how crime and deviance are integral to society and performs functions that
benefit the social order. However Durkheim does not suggest how much crime is the right amount of
Functionalist: Strain & subculture theory
Durkheim: society is based on value consensus
People have a common culture of shared norms, values and goals. Durkheim called this shared culture
the collective conscience. There are two key ways social solidarity is created in society:
1. Socialisation:
The process of learning expected norms and values. Socialisation creates a shared culture of behaviour
norms, values and beliefs. Socialisation is the key way the collective consciousness is developed and
passed on.
2. Social control:
Rewards for conformity and sanctions for deviance.
“Crime is normal.. It is an integral part of every healthy society” even in the society of angels there would
be crime. A limited amount of crime is inevitable and even necessary, Crime has positive functions -A
certain amount of crime contributes to the well-being of a society. On the other hand, too much crime is
bad for society and can help bring about its collapse, hence institutions of social control are necessary to
keep the amount of crime in check.
In complex modern societies there is diversity of lifestyles and values. Different groups develop their own
subcultures with their own norms and values. Not everyone is equally well socialised into cultural norms
so they are prone to deviate. Because of the huge division of labour and increased diversity of peoples in
modern society there is a tendency towards anomie = normlessness.
Diversity and complexity makes the shared culture (collective conscience) weaker. Crime and deviance
are easier when the collective conscience is weak. Crime and deviance serve two key functions:
1. Boundary maintenance:
Reaction to crime unites society and reinforces people's commitment to share norms and values. They
key function of punishment is not to make the offender suffer or to reduce crime. Its to reaffirm society’s
shared values and reinforce social solidarity. This is done through the rituals of a courtroom. This is a key
reason why trials and punishments are often public.
2. Adaptation and social change:
All social change starts with an act of crime or deviance. Individuals with new ideas or values must not
be stifled by too much social control. There must be scope for individuals to challenge social norms and
values. There must be neither too much crime and deviance nor too little.
Too much crime and deviance breaks apart the bounds of society and leads to anomie (normlessness).
Too little crime and deviance suggests the society is too repressive.
Other functions of crime: Davis & Polsky
Prostitution acts as a safety valve for the release of men’s sexual frustration without threatening
marriage. Pornography safely channels sexual desires without threatening marriage or family.
Erikson: If crime and deviance are inevitable perhaps the true function of agencies such as the police is
to sustain a certain level of crime rather than rid society of it. Society maintain and regulates deviant
behaviour rather than eliminating it. Cohen argues it functions as a warning that systems are not
functioning correctly.
Carnivals, festivals, demonstrations and other public events encourage behaviour that in other contexts
would be deemed deviant and inappropriate such as Notting Hill, England or Carnival in Rio Brazil.
AO3 Evaluation: Shows how crime and deviance are integral to society and performs functions that
benefit the social order. However Durkheim does not suggest how much crime is the right amount of
