Functionalist perspective of crime and deviance
Functionalists see society as a system of interconnected parts held together
by shared values (Value consensus) and agreement.
Social solidarity is created through shared culture and is maintained by
socialisation and social control.
- Socialisation involves internalising society’s norms and values.
- Social control rewards conformity and punishes deviance.
Deviance is considered normal and inevitable in all societies. However, too
much crime and deviance can destabilise society.
REASON FOR DEVIANCE
- Not everyone is socialised into shared norms to the same degree,
which leads to deviance.
- Modern societies have diverse lifestyles that can lead to subcultures
with differing norms, which can be seen as deviant.
- Modern societies can experience anomie, or normalness, due to
increasing diversity.
POSITIVES OF CRIME & DEVIANCE
Boundary maintenance: Crime reinforces the boundaries between
acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, clarifying moral codes.
Adaption and change: Deviance can initiate societal change and
improvement, as new ways of doing things are explored. For instance:
- Functionalist have argued prostitution can act as a safety valve
for men’s sexual frustrations, and pornography can be a safe
channel for sexual desires.
- Deviance can be a warning signal that something in society needs to
change.
- Institutions may provoke crime to maintain social boundaries.
- Sanctioned rule breaking, such as at festivals, may be a way for
individuals to let off steam, or ease the transition from childhood to
adulthood.
CRITICISM OF DURKHEIM
- It is unclear how to determine the ‘right amount’ of crime, as no metric
is provided.
- It does not explain why people commit crimes if they know it is wrong.
Functionalists see society as a system of interconnected parts held together
by shared values (Value consensus) and agreement.
Social solidarity is created through shared culture and is maintained by
socialisation and social control.
- Socialisation involves internalising society’s norms and values.
- Social control rewards conformity and punishes deviance.
Deviance is considered normal and inevitable in all societies. However, too
much crime and deviance can destabilise society.
REASON FOR DEVIANCE
- Not everyone is socialised into shared norms to the same degree,
which leads to deviance.
- Modern societies have diverse lifestyles that can lead to subcultures
with differing norms, which can be seen as deviant.
- Modern societies can experience anomie, or normalness, due to
increasing diversity.
POSITIVES OF CRIME & DEVIANCE
Boundary maintenance: Crime reinforces the boundaries between
acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, clarifying moral codes.
Adaption and change: Deviance can initiate societal change and
improvement, as new ways of doing things are explored. For instance:
- Functionalist have argued prostitution can act as a safety valve
for men’s sexual frustrations, and pornography can be a safe
channel for sexual desires.
- Deviance can be a warning signal that something in society needs to
change.
- Institutions may provoke crime to maintain social boundaries.
- Sanctioned rule breaking, such as at festivals, may be a way for
individuals to let off steam, or ease the transition from childhood to
adulthood.
CRITICISM OF DURKHEIM
- It is unclear how to determine the ‘right amount’ of crime, as no metric
is provided.
- It does not explain why people commit crimes if they know it is wrong.
