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20 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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What are the two key mechanisms that Functionalists believe achieve solidarity? How do these mechanisms achieve solidarity? |
Socialisation (through learning/internalising the norms and values of society). Social Control (through rewards for conformity and punishment for deviance). |
Family and education provide one of these mechanisms. Institutions provide the other mechanism. |
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What does Durkheim suggest as the two reasons for why crime happens? |
Inadequate Socialisation (leading to deviation). Subcultural Differences (Subcultures may have different norms and values that mainstream society doesn't accept as the norm). |
Differences |
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What does anomie mean? |
There is no norm in society (modern societies = specialised division of labour = individualism = no collective conscience) |
Normlessness |
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What are the two main positive functions of crime? |
Boundary Maintenance (society is reminded of crime boundaries and collectivity turns on wrongdoer) Adaption and Change (new ideas through challenging existing norms means deviance helps society grow) |
Collective conscience Challenging norms |
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What's a third positive function of crime? |
Men are able to release stress/sexual frustrations through crime (e.g. prostitution), not on monogamous nuclear family. |
Prostitution |
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Name two criticisms of Durkhiem's functionalist theory of crime. |
Pick two of: Doesn't happen because it benefits society (reasons for crime are not explained, and is unclear as to how much crime is beneficial) Functional for whom? (It helps society, but not individuals) Can lead to more crime and less solidarity (women isolate themselves from attackers) |
Reasons Beneficial Solidarity |
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What are structural factors, according to Merton? What are cultural factors, according to Merton? |
Society's unequal opportunity structure More emphasis on success, less emphasis on means of achieving success |
Opportunities Emphasis |
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What's the key idea of Merton's strain theory? |
There's a strain between society (which promotes success) and what the structures in society allow people to achieve through legitimate means. |
Success Means It's the winning that counts, not playing by the rules. |
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What's the example of a meritocratic ideology in Merton's strain theory? Why is this a meritocratic ideology? |
The American Dream (people are given a false representation of reality that everyone have equal opportunities to succeed) |
OMAM |
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Who does Merton argue causes crime? Give examples. Why are they more susceptible to crime and deviance? |
Disadvantaged groups (the material deprived, the ethnic minorities, the discriminated, the poor). They have blocked opportunities (e.g. lack equal education), and try to become equal through illegitimate means. |
Those who lack basic equality Try to become equal |
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What do Cohen and Merton agree on (in terms of functionalist theories of crime and deviance)? |
Disadvantaged groups are more likely to commit crime. |
Poor, ethnic minorities etc. |
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What two ideas do Cohen and Merton disagree on (in terms of functionalist theories of crime and deviance)? |
Crime is not always utilitarian. Cohen argues crime is non-utilitarian (like vandalism). Cohen argues crime is not committed by an individual, but in groups (like subcultures). |
Goals Together |
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What is status frustration according to Cohen? What follows after status frustration? |
W/c suffer in a m/c society and have low status. They are frustrated as they can't receive status legitimately (inequality). W/c reject m/c ideology and join delinquent subcultures. |
Inequality Reject |
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What's a criticism of Cohen's 'status frustration'? |
Like Merton, he assumes that w/c agree with m/c values and then see themselves as failures. W/c may not agree with these values at all, and don't recognise themselves as failures. |
Agree with m/c Failures |
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What's a strength of Cohen's 'status frustration'? |
He challenges Merton's 'utilitarian crime' idea through 'status frustration' and 'alternative status hierarchy' to explain non-utilitarian crime. |
Non-utilitarian crime |
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What are the three subcultures Cloward and Ohlin use to explain subcultural strain theories. Describe these. |
Criminal Subculture (grow up with network criminals and taught to deviate from young. Organised). Conflict Subculture (population turnover meaning no official gangs can start up. Disorganised). Retreatist Subculture (can't opportunity for legitimate or illegitimate status hierarchy, so result in illegal drugs). |
Organised Disorganised No Opportunity |
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What's a strength of Cloward and Ohlin's three subcultures theory?
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Differentiates between different types ofsubcultures, unlike Cohen. Provides explanation for different types of w/cdeviance. |
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Name two weaknesses of Cloward and Ohlin's three subcultures theory? |
Two of these: Assume w/c agree with m/c values, like Cohen and Merton. Assume bourgeoisie don’t have control over law enforcement and criminalising proletariat. Over-predicts w/c crime and doesn’t include corporate or white-collar crime. 3 subcultures not as clear cut as described to be. E.g. Drug trade is a mix of conflict (disorganised) and criminal (organised) subcultures. Matzah claims w/c drift in and out of delinquency and different subcultures, and aren’t strongly committed to their subculture. |
M/c values (Cohen and Merton -) Marxist Over prediction Drug Trade (mix) Not committed |
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Explain recent strain theories in terms of functionalist theories towards crime and deviance. Whats a strength of this? |
People’s goals aren’t just money, but popularity, equaltreatment etc. These goals can also cause delinquency. + explains m/c crime |
Popularity, equal treatment |
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What's the institutional anomie theory? |
Societies based on free market capitalism and lackadequate welfare provision have higher crime rates. Societies that spend moreon welfare have lower rates of imprisonment. In Eastern Europe, crime rapidly rose after communismfell. Collective values replaced money success. Money and success pressurepeople into pursuing wealth by any means. |
Free market capitalism Welfare provision->low Imprisonment Communism |
