Functionalist*

• Functionalism


  Deviance as a “safety valve”

  an individual or group can ‘let off steam’ to prevent worse deviance.
• Evaluating Durkheim

  • studied the functionality of crime and deviance
  • count the anomic society (morally questioning behaviour)

  cons -

  • doesn’t explain why he thinks crime happens, is stereotypical in his reasoning
  • doesn’t explain why some do more crime than others
  • doesn’t explain the reason for variety in deviance
  • doesn’t consider negative impacts of deviance on society
• Merton (1938)


  Strain Theory

  individuals experience a disconnect between culturally approved goals and the means available to achieve them - this gap creates “strain”, prompting some people to adapt

  • conformity, accepting both goals and means
  • innovation, accepting goals but using unapproved means
  • ritualism, abandoning goals but rigidly following means - being “stuck in a rut”
  • retreatism, rejecting both goals and means
  • rebellion, reject goals and means - aim to create new ones
• Cons of Merton’s strain theory

  • assumes that the goal of final success is universal
  • an individual may fall into several categories at different points (eg. businessman on weekdays, drug user on weekends)
• Recorded crime statistics- Functionalists


  Social Facts - external influence, eg. family background

  • quantitative data seen as reliable
  • value consensus, see police as representing all of us (does not question their motives)
• Structural Functionalism

  • society works together for social order
  • drug cartels as a response to social and economic dysfunctions, they provide economic benefits and social mobility to the marginalised
• Functionalists

  • the effect on individuals is not as important as the effects on society as a whole
  • deviance can be functional as it serves a purpose, eg. war eradicates bad people
• Functionalism - Durkheim

  value consensus - share norms and values to reduce chaos (“anomie”).
• Agnew (2006) - General Strain Theory

  crime as a coping mechanism, eg. due to lack of financial success, abuse, social isolation