Crime and Deviance

• HAGAN -1994 (Criticises Durkheim) 


  provides categories of criminal deviant acts

  1. consensus crime: near unanimous public agreement
  2. conflict crime: public disagreement on seriousness
  3. social deviation: not illegal but regarded as harmful
  4. social diversion: distasteful acts that are harmless
• Conformity 


  acting in a way that fits norms and values of a society
• Collective Consciousness


  creates 'public temper' brings people together
• Durkheim: Boundary Maintenance


  • social order achieved through social control
  • punishing crimes teaches acceptable behaviour
  • contributes to value concensus
  • only effective if deviance is identified and punished
• Durkheim: Social Change


  • if nobody deviated, society would never evolve
  • functional rebels break outdated rules: STONEWALL UPRISING, SUFFRAGETTES
• Durkheim: Anomie 


  • too much unpunished crime leads to lack of social order
  • society becomes unhealthy
  • potential causes: Government change, economic hardship, disaster
  • EG. Storming capital after Donald Trump left White House
• Erikson (supports Durkheim): Wayward Puritans

  • content analysis of court records etc
  • found: communities engaged in public punishment --> hangings, floggings
  • Now: public condemnation no longer needs to be face to face: over radio/media
• Davis (support Durkheim): 'Safety Valve'


  • committing small acts to prevent serious acts to release aggression/frustration
  • Prostitution is safety valve for men: hire prostitutes to release built up frustration
  • less likely to take out frustration on wife
• EVALUATION Durkheim: Positive


  • Crime is good for society + explains reasons for level of crime
  • crime serves as a useful purpose: Functional rebels (Suffragettes)
  • Crime can change overtime: stays up to date
• EVALUATION Durkheim: Negative


  • assumes harmony between individuals: ignores struggles in society
  • MARXISM + FEMINISM: not all criminals are punished equally: class/females treated differently
  • Durkheim theorises crime is necessary but fails to distinguish between crimes
  • Doesn't explain why people commit crimes
  • ignores individual differences/ people circumstances
  • safety Valve ignores free will
• Merton's Strain Theory: 


  • Structural explanation developed on Durkheim's idea of Anomie
  • crime and deviance is when a cultural goal is more important than normative means (legally doing it)
  • 5 Modes of adaptation: Conformity, Innovation, Ritualism, Retreatist and Rebellion
  • Conformity: Accept both normative means + cultural goals
  • Innovation: Reject normative means, accept cultural goals
  • Ritualism: Accept normative means, reject cultural goals
  • Retreatist: Reject normative means + cultural goals
  • Rebellion: Create new normative means and cultural goals
• EVALUATION Merton: Positive


  • simple explanation of how social structure can lead to crime
  • other theories expand on the idea
  • Reiner: time relevant + can be applied to 2011 LONDON RIOTS
  • can explain why crime rate in W/C is higher --> more difficult for W/C to reach normative means due to poverty/cultural deprivation--> lower social capital
• EVALUATION Merton: Negative


  • Valier: pluralist perspective --> society is made up of diverse groups with different end goals
  • Only explains utilitarian crimes (money)
  • Too simplistic --> individual may fit into multiple modes of adaptation
  • leaves questions unanswered. How are goals achieved? What factors determine individuals mode? etc
• Hirschi Control Theory:


  • Asks why people commit crimes
  • argues people commit crimes due to weakened social bonds
  • strong social bonds: conformist behaviour
  • weak social bonds: criminal behaviour
  • social bonds determined by: belief, attachment, commitment, involvement
  • belief - share moral beliefs
  • attachment - people feel bonded to each other
  • commitment - people feel committed to conventional goals
  • involvement - people feel integrated in society: too busy for crime
• EVALUATION Hirschi: Negative

  • incomplete explanation --> can't answer why some people have stronger bonds than others
• Subcultural Theory: Cohen - Status Frustration


  • W/C males dominate crime rates
  • due to not doing well in education
  • higher status unattainable due to cultural deprivation
  • in response, conform to own norms and values NOT MAINSTREAM
  • feel more pressure to seek respect from peers
  • juvenile delinquency = non-utilitarian & provides instant #