Functionalist, Strain and Subcultural Theories

• Durkheim suggested that crime was inevitable in modern society and in some cases was a positive thing
• Durkheim argues there is an optimal amount of crime - too much and society decays; too little and society remains stagnant
• Boundary maintenance - reactions to crime reinforce the value consensus
• Adaption & change - deviance can lead to changing social attitudes and gradual acceptance and approval
• Safety valve - crime may signpost issues in society that should be addrsesed
• Polksy and Davis - some deviance can provide a release of tension eg pornography and prostitution provides an alternative to sexual assault
• It is difficult to measure how much crime is 'optimal'
• In contemporary society it seems less social change results from deviant activism due to the work of the media and state
• Merton's strain theory suggested that most Americans shared the American Dream, but not every had the means to achieve it
• Conformity - a majority of people worked hard and chose legitimate means to pursue popular social goals
• Innovation - some people found that legitimate means were blocked, so they used illegitimate means to pursue legitimate goals - this explains utilitarian crimes
• Ritualism - some people realised they could not achieve their goals and gave up, continuing to get by with legitimate means though they knew it would not help them reach their goal
• Retreatism - some people who could not achieve the goals of society would reject its norms and values entirely, dropping out of society, possibly turning to substance abuse and illegitimate means
• Rebellion - some people rejected the goals of society and sought to implement their own vision of society instead, eg activists and protesters
• Strain theory depends on the idea that there are agreed goals in society that everyone aspires to - people may have individual motivations instead
• Strain theory does not explain crimes of passion or victimisation
• Cohen's status frustration - suggested blocked opportunities saw the formation of deviant subcultures
• Subcultures formed alternate status hierarchies and subverted the norms and values of society
• Non-utilitarian crimes with no financial incentive gained status with peers - eg vandalism, joy-riding or violence
• Cohen argued this behaviour was a response to blocked opportunities and revenge against society
• Matza suggests that young people drift in and out of deviancy in teenage years before conforming eventually
• Cohen's status frustration does not account for different opportunities based on location
• Cloward and Ohlin suggested there were different opportunities for crime depending on geographical location
• Criminal subcultures - in areas of existing criminal networks. Mostly utilitarian crimes - young men could be apprenticed and could advance through the organisation - alternative to legitimate career
• Conflict subcultures - areas of transition with no organised structure. Rival gangs would form and clash with each other to release frustration. Violence rewarded with status
• Retreatist subcultures - those who fail both legitimately and illegitimately. Turn to substance abuse and petty crime to escape from social rejection
• Cloward and Ohlin suggest all people turn to deviance if they encounter blocked opportunities when this is not true