evaluation for sociological theories

• strengths for Durkheim's functionalism theory

  • recognises that crime can have a positive function
• limitations for Durkheim's functionalism theory

  • crime is not functional for victims
  • does not specify how much is the right amount of deviance
• strengths for Merton's functionalism theory

  • shows how how normal and deviant behaviour arise from the same goals
  • explains statistical patterns likes property crime is high because society values wealth
• limitations for Merton's functionalism theory

  • focuses on utilitarian crime and ignores crimes with econocmic motive
  • over predicts working class crime
  • ignores group deviance
• strengths of Cloward and Ohlin's subcultural theory

  • subculture offers people solutions
  • different neighbourhoods have goals for different illegitimate opportunites
• strength's of Cloward and Ohlin's subcultural theory

  • ignores crime committed by the wealthy
  • assumes everyone wants to achieve mainstream goals
  • subcultures are not always consisted of people with same characteristics
• strengths of interactionism and labelling theory

  • shows law is not fixed but a social construct
  • shows importance of selective law enforcement
  • shows how controlling deviance can lead to more deviance
• limitations of interactionism and labelling theory

  • implies that once labelled a deviant career is not avoidable
  • gives offenders and a victim status while ignoring real victims
  • fails to explain why certain groups are labelled but not others
  • fails to explain why people commit crime even before being labelled
• strengths of Marxist theory

  • shows how poverty and inequality can cause working class crime
  • shows how capitalism promotes greed
  • show how law can be biased
• limitations of Marxist theory

  • not all capitalist societies have high crime rates like Japan
  • exaggerates working class crime
  • only focuses on class rather than other inequalities
• strengths of right realism

  • studies support RCT
  • Feldman says is rewards are high the crime is worth committing
  • studies show risk is an important factor
  • explains opportunistic crimes
• limitations of right realism

  • unclear if all criminals think this way
  • some crimes are impulsive
  • being under the influence will not be able to weight out risk
• strengths of left realism

  • draws attentions of importance of relative deprivation
  • shows reality of street crime
• limitations of left realism

  • ignores crimes of the powerful
  • exaggerates working class crime
  • makes crime appear a greater problem than it is
• strengths of surveillance theories

  • stimulated research like the electronic Panopticon
  • other surveillance being identified
• limitations of surveillance theories

  • some people resist control
  • does not always change people's behaviour