Functionalist perspective of deviance Chapter 7 – Deviance and Social Conformity

Functionalism Refresher Society is a complex unit, made up of interrelated parts Each part has a function When each part of society performs its function, society is in a “normal” state

Can Deviance Be Functional? Emile Durkheim stated deviance is functional for society: Deviance clarifies moral boundaries and affirms social norms Deviance encourages social unity Deviance promotes social change Emile Durkheim

Strain Theory Cultural Goals: The objectives held out as legitimate or desirable for the members of a society to achieve (Ex: wealth or prestige) Institutionalized Means: Approved ways of reaching cultural goals

Strain Theory Strain Theory: Strain created when society socializes a large number of people to desire a cultural goal (Ex: wealth) but withholds from some the approved means of reaching that goal Anomie: Feelings of being disconnected from society Strain Theory is credited to Robert Merton

Strain Theory How do people match their goals to their means? Conformity: Using socially acceptable means to try to reach cultural goals Innovation: Accept the goals of society, but use illegitimate goals to accomplish them (Ex: crack dealers, con artists) Ritualism: Give up on achieving the cultural goals but still follow society’s rules (Ex: Teachers suffering from “burnout”)

Strain Theory How do people match their goals to their means? Retreatism: Reject both cultural goals and society’s rules (Ex: People who stop pursuing success and become drug addicts, women who enter a convent) Rebellion: Reject society’s goals and institutionalized means, but seek to give society new goals, as well as new means for reaching them.

Social Class and Crime Society conditions the poor to want success, but many routes to success are at odds with lower-class backgrounds: Schools- Non-Standard Grammar Poor Preparation in Reading Punctuality The poor may be more conditioned, then, to drop out of school and seek illegitimate opportunities Hustling, Gambling, Pimping

Social Class and Crime White Collar Crime Crimes that people of respectable and high social status commit in the course of their occupations Ex: Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme Ford Motor Tire Scandal Bernie Madoff ran a scheme that defrauded investors of nearly $65 billon

Social Class and Crime The cost of white-collar crime is ten times than that of street crime Northern states are considered safer, southern states more dangerous