paper 2

• what are the 4 social construction of crime and deviance ?

  time

  place

  social situation

  culture
• social construction of crime and deviance : Time


  act takes place can influence whether it is criminal or deviant , drinking in the morning compared to at night for example pre 1945 abortion divorce and homosexuality were seen as deviating but now there not
• social construction of crime and deviance : place

  where the act takes place , been naked in the shower or on a nudist beach is not illegal but walking down the street naked is illegal
• social construction of crime and deviance : social situation


  the context where the act takes place for example chanting a flag at a football match is normal but doing it at a funeral would be seen as rude
• social construction of crime and deviance : culture


  different cultures have different rules and expectations for example Saudi Arabia it illegal for women to interact with people who aren't their husband in Usa gun ownership is widespread whereas in the UK it not.
• what is social control ?

  to way people are encouraged to follow formal and informal rules in society. A part of this is how society punishes the breaking of these rule ; negative and positive sanctions their two types informal and formal
• Types of formal social control

  the house of parliament

  the police

  the courts ( eg the judicial system)

  the prison service

  ministry of justice

  home office - immigrations

  the serious Fraud office
• types of informal control


  family

  education

  religion
• What is a crime?

  is an illegal act which is punishable by law eg fraud and robbery
• What is deviance?

  behaviour that doesn't conform society rules and norms eg picking your nose
• Functionalist on crime : Durkheim


  That crime is a small amount is necessary for society to function. crimes is an integral part of all healthy society over time we need rule breakers to take society forward for example the Suffragettes.

  He argues it performs 4 functions :

  1. re-affriming boundaries of society

  2. changing values

  3. social cohesion

  4. safety valve
• what does Durkheim say are the 4 functions of crime

  1. re-affriming boundaries of society

  2. changing values

  3. social cohesion

  4. safety valve
• Durkheim : re-affirming boundaries of society


  every time a criminal is punished it reminds society of what happens when boundaries are crossed eg criminals are sent to prison
• Durkheim ; changing values

  occasionally sympathy occurs for someone on trail signify a change in values and in laws eg changes in 2013 of homosexual couples
• Durkheim ; social cohesion

  when horrific events happen draws entire community together in shared outrage and sense of belonging to the community is strength eg Manchester bombings
• Durkheim : safety valve


  Deviant acts may be functional as form of pressure release in society can allow individuals to express them selves in ways that may not be criminal eg protest prostitution
• Criticisms of Durkheim on crime

  - ignores class power gender and ethnicity

  - suggest crime and deviance strengths social cohesion but overlooks how it can isolate people - drug addicts

  - argues certain amount is healthy for society but does not justify the right amount
• what is an Anomie ?

  breakdown of norms governing accepted social behaviour
• what is collective conscience ?

  shared beliefs and values that binds communities together and regulates behaviour
• what is the strain theory and by who ?

  Strain theory is theirs a strain individuals who have the same goals as everyone in society but lack means of achieving them however once these goals become virtually impossible find deviant ways.

  Strain theory by Merton is a branch off functionalism unlike Durkheim merton offers reason for why people commit crimes
• what are the 5 thing Merton says about crime :

  1. conformity

  2. innovation

  3. Ritualism

  4. Retreatism

  5. Rebellion
• Merton: Conformity


  conform to the ideas of success in society both the goals and the conventionally accepted means of reaching them eg getting qualifications in turn give them well paid employment.
• Merton: Innovation


  Individuals who aren't able to reach goal through normative way turn to deviant means usually crime such as burglary as they come from lower levels of society and are denied the usual route to success
• Merton: Ritualism


  recognise the common goals and how to achieve them but see the reality of achieving them unlikely so go through the motions in society without motivation to progress eg an employee who given up on promotion but skims by
• Merton: Retreatism


  they have strong internalised both goals and means but retreat from society altogether given up and truing to thing such as alcohol drug as ways of avoiding social reality
• Merton ; Rebellion


  Come up with a new goal (not the American dream) and use new methods to obtain the new goal to create a new society bring about a revolutionary change
• Criticisms of functionalist crime

  - postmodernists they try to over complicate crime by given a rational reason between crime whereas some see it a enjoyable edge work

  - crime and deviance can be transmitted by being in proximity of deviant people around them
• What is bedroom culture?

  girls are more likely to spend time with their friends in their room and get pick off and drop off by their parents whearas boy are more likely to be outside
• what is the chivalry thesis by pollack ?

  the idea that a male dominated police force and criminal justice system treats female offenders more leniently because of their gender. often seen as sad and in need of help rather that punishment as their vulnerable and in need of protection
• what theory did Heidensohn come up with ?

  control theory to explain why women commit less crime than men and of the Patriarchal societies controls them this is done in various ways :

  at home - childcare and house work time consuming

  patriarchal authority - women risk domestic violence if challenge expectations

  breadwinner - man have control over financial descions

  , closer to daughter than son

  in public - controlled by threat of male sexual violence

  at work -intimidation, glass celling , sexual harassment
• Marxist view of crime

  - laws are made by powerful therefore operate to benefit rich and powerful eg many laws based on property and fraud

  - ruling class imposes their values through secondary socialisation to teach obedience

  - by law enforcement some groups are treated more leniently than others the police stop and search for certain groups and middles class crime goes undetected.

  - emphasis on consumerism and competitions as it based on capitalist society so those in poverty are not able to compete so commit crime

  
  

  - Marxist believe capitalism created crime

  - as people feel injustices of the class system and commit crime
• criticism of Marxism view on crime

  ignore the importance of gender and ethnicity

  assume all poor people turn to crime as they feel deprived but the vast majority are law abiding citizens
• Becker (1997) on crime

  There's no such thing as deviant in itself behaviour only becomes deviant when other people define it as such the label of deviancy depends on :

  
  

  - who commit the act when and where it to place and who observes it

  - negotiations that take place between the actors involved in the interactions

  
  

  1. crime is sociology constructed

  2. not everyone who is deviant get labels as such as negative labels generally given to the powerless by the powerful

  3. labelling can lead to deviancy amplification and deviant careers
• What is a deviant career?


  a process that develops over time through deviant behaviour
• Criticism of Becker


  - labelling theory fails to tells us why crime exist in the first place

  - labelling theory fails to consider social inequalities and how it creates crime

  - fails to acknowledge real victims of crime
• what is Cohen subculture theory of crime ?

  Cohen noted that Merton could not explain non-martensite crime like juvenile delinquency so study it in working class boy in north america :

  
  

  Juvenile delinquency is a group phenomenon this is because the education system is organised around middle class values so as their cultural deprivation it limits the working class boys so experiences status frustration when try to meet their goal but fail so joining a delinquent subculture allowing them to gain status when mainstream system fail them.
• Alternative status hierarchy


  For Cohen, the subculture offers an illegitimate opportunity structure for boys who have failed to achieve legitimately.

  a subculture's set of values which turn the values of society upside down displaying spite malice and hostility to outsiders
• Evaluation of Cohens status frustration theory

  -Cohan explains petty crime, but fails to explore the opportunities for further criminality based on location

  - some working class boy commit crime not as of status frustration but for the fun and thrill of edge work
• New Right - crime

  inadequate socialisation results in social problems such as crime and deviance.

  - single parent families produces most criminal and deviant children
• what groups commit the most crime ?

  men

  ethnic minorities

  young people

  lower class