1 Exampromax - Stuvia US
AQA A Level Sociology Paper 3 - Crime and
Deviance Questions and Answers 100% Correct
Answers Already Graded A+
Q: clinard
Ans: should be reserved for behaviour that is so disapproved of that the
community find it impossible to tolerate
Q: deviance
Ans: subjective, and culturally determined - cultures changed over time and very
Exampromax - Stuvia US
between societies
Q: normative definition of deviance (conform)
Ans: refers to actions which differ from the accepted standards of society -
consists of the violation of social norms
Q: Durkheim
Ans: "every society shares a set of core values"
no society has complete behavioural conformity
Q: relativistic definition of deviance (conflict)
Ans: the basis of society is a diversity of values - not consensus
society far too complex
conflicts in interest
values in constant change of state
Q: dynamic process
Ans: 1. labelling/ interactionist
2. conflict
the dominant values are the outcome of the struggle
Q: functionalism
, 2 Exampromax - Stuvia US
Ans: - society based on consensus values
- ensures social solidarity
- 2 functions: socialisation and social control
Q: Durkheim on crime and deviance
Ans: "crime is normal... an integral part of all healthy societies"
- crime inevitable and universal
- due to inadequate socialisation or anomie (the collapse of the collective
conscious - modern society rules less clear cut due to increased individuality)
Q: boundary maintenance (Durkheim)
Ans: - crime produces a reaction that unites members by condemning
wrongdoing and reinforcing values and social solidarity
Q: boundary maintenance (Cohen)
Exampromax - Stuvia US
Ans: - media creates moral panics (exaggerated over reaction by society), which
enlarges problem out of proportion to real seriousness
- media identifies a group as a 'folk devil' (threat)
Q: adaption and change (Durkheim)
Ans: - crime starts with an act of deviance from individuals with new ideas that
have been suppressed e.g. racism
- neither very high or low levels desirable
- too much threatens bonds of society apart
- too little means society controlling its members too much, preventing freedom
and change
Q: Davis - function of crime (safety valve)
Ans: prostitution a safety valve for releasing mens sexual frustrations without
threatening nuclear family
Q: Polsky - function of crime
Ans: pornography safely 'channels' sexual desire away from alternatives e.g.
adultery
Q: Cohen - function of crime
, 3 Exampromax - Stuvia US
Ans: warning institution not working
Q: functionalists - function of crime
Ans: - boundary maintenance
- adaption and change
Q: Erikson - function of crime
Ans: - manages and regulates deviance rather than eradicate it entirely e.g.
police
- festivals e.g. license misbehaviour that may be punished in other contexts
- young may be given leeway to 'sow their wild oats' - a way of coping with strains
of transition to adulthood
Q: criticisms of functionalism
Exampromax - Stuvia US
Ans: - only say why crime exists, not how it came to be
- society doesn't make crime with intention to strengthen society
- ignores how crime may affect different groups e.g. what about perpetrator
- doesn't always promote solidarity
Q: subcultural theory of crime
Ans: - deviance a product of a delinquent subculture with different values from
those of mainstream society
- these provide an alternative opportunity for the who are denied the chance to
achieve by legitimate means
Q: A.K. Cohen: status frustration (subcultural)
Ans: - agrees with Merton: deviance mostly wc phenomenon
- results from inability to achieve goals by legitimate means
- however, not an individual phenomenon or focuses on utilitarian crime
- focuses on wc boys as face anomie in mc world
- cultural deprivation - lack of skills to achieve
Q: Alternative status hierarchy (subcultural)
Ans: - values spite and hostility for those outside of it
- inverts values of mainstream society e.g. truancy at school
- offers boys ways to achieve
- explains non-utilitarian deviance e.g. vandalism
- ignores possibility of not sharing mainstream views in first place
, 4 Exampromax - Stuvia US
Q: Cloward and Ohlin: three subcultures
Ans: - agree with Cohen: wc denied legitimate opportunities
- not everyone wants to innovate: different subcultures act differently
- unequal access to legitimate and illegitimate means
- different neighbourhoods offer different illegitimate opportunities
- results in three subcultures
Q: Cloward and Ohlin: criminal subculture
Ans: - provides apprenticeship for career in utilitarian crime
- only in neighbourhoods with longstanding, stable criminal subcultures with
established hierarchy of professionals
- learn from adult criminals
Q: Cloward and Ohlin: conflict subculture
Ans: - areas of high population turnover making for high levels of social
Exampromax - Stuvia US
disorganisation
- loosely organised gangs and violence release frustration by winning 'turf'
Q: Cloward and Ohlin: Retreatist subculture
Ans: - double failures: cannot make legitimate or illegitimate means
- retreat to drug use
Q: Shaw and Mckay: cultural transmission theory
Ans: criminal culture transmitted from generation to generation
Q: Sutherland: differential association theory
Ans: deviance learnt through social interaction with those who are already
socially deviant
Q: Park and Burgess: social disorganisation theory
Ans: rapid change in society causes instability and poor social control
Q: Cloward and Ohlin - critiques
AQA A Level Sociology Paper 3 - Crime and
Deviance Questions and Answers 100% Correct
Answers Already Graded A+
Q: clinard
Ans: should be reserved for behaviour that is so disapproved of that the
community find it impossible to tolerate
Q: deviance
Ans: subjective, and culturally determined - cultures changed over time and very
Exampromax - Stuvia US
between societies
Q: normative definition of deviance (conform)
Ans: refers to actions which differ from the accepted standards of society -
consists of the violation of social norms
Q: Durkheim
Ans: "every society shares a set of core values"
no society has complete behavioural conformity
Q: relativistic definition of deviance (conflict)
Ans: the basis of society is a diversity of values - not consensus
society far too complex
conflicts in interest
values in constant change of state
Q: dynamic process
Ans: 1. labelling/ interactionist
2. conflict
the dominant values are the outcome of the struggle
Q: functionalism
, 2 Exampromax - Stuvia US
Ans: - society based on consensus values
- ensures social solidarity
- 2 functions: socialisation and social control
Q: Durkheim on crime and deviance
Ans: "crime is normal... an integral part of all healthy societies"
- crime inevitable and universal
- due to inadequate socialisation or anomie (the collapse of the collective
conscious - modern society rules less clear cut due to increased individuality)
Q: boundary maintenance (Durkheim)
Ans: - crime produces a reaction that unites members by condemning
wrongdoing and reinforcing values and social solidarity
Q: boundary maintenance (Cohen)
Exampromax - Stuvia US
Ans: - media creates moral panics (exaggerated over reaction by society), which
enlarges problem out of proportion to real seriousness
- media identifies a group as a 'folk devil' (threat)
Q: adaption and change (Durkheim)
Ans: - crime starts with an act of deviance from individuals with new ideas that
have been suppressed e.g. racism
- neither very high or low levels desirable
- too much threatens bonds of society apart
- too little means society controlling its members too much, preventing freedom
and change
Q: Davis - function of crime (safety valve)
Ans: prostitution a safety valve for releasing mens sexual frustrations without
threatening nuclear family
Q: Polsky - function of crime
Ans: pornography safely 'channels' sexual desire away from alternatives e.g.
adultery
Q: Cohen - function of crime
, 3 Exampromax - Stuvia US
Ans: warning institution not working
Q: functionalists - function of crime
Ans: - boundary maintenance
- adaption and change
Q: Erikson - function of crime
Ans: - manages and regulates deviance rather than eradicate it entirely e.g.
police
- festivals e.g. license misbehaviour that may be punished in other contexts
- young may be given leeway to 'sow their wild oats' - a way of coping with strains
of transition to adulthood
Q: criticisms of functionalism
Exampromax - Stuvia US
Ans: - only say why crime exists, not how it came to be
- society doesn't make crime with intention to strengthen society
- ignores how crime may affect different groups e.g. what about perpetrator
- doesn't always promote solidarity
Q: subcultural theory of crime
Ans: - deviance a product of a delinquent subculture with different values from
those of mainstream society
- these provide an alternative opportunity for the who are denied the chance to
achieve by legitimate means
Q: A.K. Cohen: status frustration (subcultural)
Ans: - agrees with Merton: deviance mostly wc phenomenon
- results from inability to achieve goals by legitimate means
- however, not an individual phenomenon or focuses on utilitarian crime
- focuses on wc boys as face anomie in mc world
- cultural deprivation - lack of skills to achieve
Q: Alternative status hierarchy (subcultural)
Ans: - values spite and hostility for those outside of it
- inverts values of mainstream society e.g. truancy at school
- offers boys ways to achieve
- explains non-utilitarian deviance e.g. vandalism
- ignores possibility of not sharing mainstream views in first place
, 4 Exampromax - Stuvia US
Q: Cloward and Ohlin: three subcultures
Ans: - agree with Cohen: wc denied legitimate opportunities
- not everyone wants to innovate: different subcultures act differently
- unequal access to legitimate and illegitimate means
- different neighbourhoods offer different illegitimate opportunities
- results in three subcultures
Q: Cloward and Ohlin: criminal subculture
Ans: - provides apprenticeship for career in utilitarian crime
- only in neighbourhoods with longstanding, stable criminal subcultures with
established hierarchy of professionals
- learn from adult criminals
Q: Cloward and Ohlin: conflict subculture
Ans: - areas of high population turnover making for high levels of social
Exampromax - Stuvia US
disorganisation
- loosely organised gangs and violence release frustration by winning 'turf'
Q: Cloward and Ohlin: Retreatist subculture
Ans: - double failures: cannot make legitimate or illegitimate means
- retreat to drug use
Q: Shaw and Mckay: cultural transmission theory
Ans: criminal culture transmitted from generation to generation
Q: Sutherland: differential association theory
Ans: deviance learnt through social interaction with those who are already
socially deviant
Q: Park and Burgess: social disorganisation theory
Ans: rapid change in society causes instability and poor social control
Q: Cloward and Ohlin - critiques
