AC 2.3 Sociological Theories Functionalist Crime Theories

Unit 2 : AC2.3 Functionalist Crime Theories collective sentiments Durkheim The Rules of Sociological Method. 1895. KEY CONCEPTS: crime as inevitable normal & functional solidarity collective sentiments society of saints

SUMMARY OF DURKHEIM THEORY: He argued that crime is an inevitable, normal and necessary (functional) aspect of social life. “Crime is an integral part of all healthy societies.” Crime is inevitable because not every one in society is going to be equally committed to the collective (shared) sentiments (values and morals). This is because we are all exposed to different influences & circumstances.

Durkheim - ‘Society of Saints’ With no crime at all, such high standards of behaviour would make even the smallest deviant act (like burping or wearing yellow trousers) stand out like a sore thumb So deviance is inevitable

Durkheim - Deviance is necessary Durkheim argued that deviance helped society to evolve “Yesterday’s deviance must become today’s normality.” If everyone conformed we wouldn’t have Nelson Mandela or Che Guevara….

Low crime & deviance = no change = disorganisation & chaos (anomie) Some deviance is necessary…. Low crime & deviance = no change High crime & deviance = disorganisation & chaos (anomie)

Durkheim - Solidarity “Punishment serves to heal the wounds done to the collective sentiments.” It creates SOLIDARITY (togetherness) Society feels better when we send the killers to prison…..

Durkheim Criticisms Dodgy Research: Not all crime is functional: no actual study carried out - “armchair criminology” Not all crime is functional: victim support groups would find it very difficult to say that violent crime against the person was a way of strengthening “collective sentiments”. Does not look at what the causes of crime might be just that it is functional, healthy, universal and inevitable

success goals institutionalised means conformity Merton social theory & social structure. 1968. KEY CONCEPTS: value consensus anomie success goals institutionalised means conformity innovation ritualism retreatism rebellion Functionalist who argued that there are five responses to the value consensus – we can either love it, abuse it, neglect it, reject it or radically change it. 9

Merton’s Strain theory… Unlike Durkheim, Merton offers a reason for why people commit crime. Merton states that deviance occurs when individuals find that they cannot achieve the success goals of society in the normal way. There is “strain” between the goals and people’s abilities to achieve them

Value Consensus Merton Strain Theory - summary Because members of society are in different positions of the social structure, not everyone conforms with the value consensus: some heartily embrace it (because they can), while others reject it I have qualifications, a steady job & I’m straight! I’ve not got GCSEs, my whole family’s out of work AND I’m a ginga Value Consensus

He used the lifestyle concept of the American Dream which places great emphasis on material success.

In Western societies there are cultural goals that we’re all socialised to want like big cars, big houses, splendid holidays etc…

The youth of today…? They’re running wild these days. In American society there seems to be great importance attached to achieving the material success goals, but no one seems to care where the money comes from. When the rules are ignored to a greater extent, a situation of anomie or normlessness, occurs where deviance is encouraged…. The youth of today…? They’re running wild these days.

5 ways to achieve success goals: Merton 5 ways to achieve success goals: Conformity: accepting both the goals and the institutionalised means of achieving them. This was the most common response.

Institutionalised means of achieving those goals; chiefly education and career (big pay packet). Now we can afford BOTOX!

2. Innovation How did he innovate? Task Research Stuart Howatson Accept the goals but reject the institutionalised means. This involves finding other, more innovative deviant ways to achieve success goals. Task Research Stuart Howatson How did he innovate?

2. Innovation Stuart Howatson, 31, of Bewdley Accept the goals but reject the institutionalised means. This involves finding other, more innovative deviant ways to achieve success goals. Stuart Howatson, 31, of Bewdley He conned his wife, family and friends into believing he was a Scotland Yard officer. Over several years, Howatson detailed his "career" to friends. While on holiday in Spain, he convinced a friend that he could buy their property for £720,000 without a mortgage. He was later arrested for pretending to be a Formula 1 boss and buying computers worth over a £1million

Ritualism: rejecting the goals but going along with the institutionalised means (work and school). This deviant behaviour results from being strongly socialized to conform to expected behaviours.

Retreatism rejecting both the goals and the means, this group often descends into alcoholism &/or drug abuse.

Rebellion is a response that seeks to replace the cultural goals and institutionalised means with new ones that meet the norms and values of their particular group or culture.

Task Is he at fault for the crimes he commits? This is Dave. He’s 24 years old and works as a assembly operative for a large manufacturer of car parts. The owner of the company is a multi-millionaire. Dave earns £7 an hour, barely enough to pay his rent. He has a girlfriend and a 2 year old daughter. Dave desperately wants to provide for his family but is struggling to make ends meet. They live on a council estate surrounded by drug users and prostitutes. This gives Dave a prime opportunity to deal and sell Drugs himself. The demand for drugs in this area has led Dave to resort to drug dealing in order to provide the extra cash he needs for his family. Is he at fault for the crimes he commits? Use Functionalist theory to explain Dave’s actions

Criticisms Merton neglects the bigger questions of power - ‘who makes the laws in society’ and assumes that there is one overarching value consensus in a country as massive as America. It also over-predicts and exaggerates working class crime while underestimating middle class crime.

Evaluation Sees crime as a form of ‘safety valve’ which can have a positive function for society. Shows how deviance is necessary to kick-start social change. Merton’s theory explains the rise of crime in Thatcher’s Britain due to excessive individualism. Fails to challenge ‘whose’ value consensus we are expected to follow. How can crime be ‘functional’ when it causes so much misery? Neglects the nature of power in society and who it is that makes the laws to be broken and then punished.

Key Terms 1. crime is inevitable 2. normal & functional 3. collective sentiments 4. society of saints 5. value consensus 6. anomie 7. cultural success goals 8. institutionalised means 9. conformity 10. innovation 11. ritualism 12. retreatism 13. rebellion