AC 2.3 Sociological Theories of Criminality

• What are the six sociological theories?

  Functionalism, Subcultural, Marxist, Interactionist, Right realism, Left realism
• What are the two Functionalist theories?

  Durkheim, Merton
• What is Functionalism?

  -consensus structuralist theory = source of crime located in the structure of society

  -nature of society can cause deviance
• What is a value consensus?

  -we all share the same norms and values producing social solidarity
• What does Durkheim argue?

  -crime is inevitable = not every one is committed to the norms and values of society

  -some feel a sense of anomie when shared norms are weakened

  -saw benefits to crime and deviance
• What are the four benefits to crime, argued by Durkheim?

  Boundary Maintenance, Enable social change, Acts as a safety valve, Acts as a warning light
• What does Durkheim mean by Boundary Maintenance?

  -crime reminds people of boundaries between right and wrong

  -incidents of child abuse allow society to reinforce social control over child abusers and reassert boundaries
• How does the Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman cause link to boundary maintenance?

  -murdered by school care-taker Ian Huntley

  -provoked a large amount of public attention in which society was angered by the crime and demanded for action against Ian Huntley
• How does crime enable social change?

  -deviance is necessary to allow new ideas to develop and make progress
• How does Sarah's Payne's case link to functionalism?

  -young girl murdered by someone with a history of sexual offences

  -introduced Child Sexual Offender Disclosure Scheme = allows parents t ask police if anyone with access to their children has a history of sexual offences
• How does crime acts as a safety valve?

  - we need smaller crimes to prevent the larger ones

  -e.g. prostitution acts as a way for men to release sexual frustration without committing a crime
• How does crime act as a warning light?

  -shows that society is not working properly e.g. high rates of suicide
• What is the name of Merton's theory?

  Merton's Strain theory
• What is Merton's Strain theory?

  -In society there are goals set and the means the goals should be obtained

  -main goal - material success

  -crime and deviance happens when there was a clash between goals and means

  -blocked opportunities e.g. lack of education or resources - caused strain
• How did Merton argued people responded to strain?

  -modes of adaption

  -conformity = adheres to goals and means with little chance of success

  -innovation = accepts goals but uses a criminal means of achieving them

  -retreatism = individuals rejects goals and means e.g addicts
• What are subcultural theories?

  -Certain groups develop norms and values that are different from those held by other members of society

  -why working-class people commit crimes

  -why juvenile delinquency has a collective character
• Which study supports the Subcultural theory?

  -Cohen's Status Frustrations
• What does Cohen argue?

  -individuals want status, respect and to feel valued

  -if this was not achieved it led to Status Frustration
• What is the first step of Cohen's study?

  -Lower working class boys want success but cannot achieve it due to cultural deprivation - lack of resources and norms and values of motivation = educational failure and bad jobs
• What is the second step of Cohen's study?

  -They suffer status frustration and turn to crime to achieve success

  -see other succeed and makes them more frustrated at their status

  -can't afford the necessities
• What is the third step of Cohen's study?

  -an alternative set of norms and values is adopted - delinquent subculture is formed

  -valuing stealing, vandalism, truancy
• What does Marxism argue?

  -unequal structure of a capitalist society is what causes crime

  -bourgeoisie and proletariats

  -CJS part of the superstructure = focus on maintaining social order and economic growth
• What are the three studies that support the Marxist theory?

  -Criminogenic capitalism, State and law making, Ideological functions
• What is Criminogenic capitalism?

  -capitalism by nature causes crime

  -based on the exploitation of the WC for profit
• Why does criminogenic capitalism lead to crime?

  -poverty may mean this is the only way to survive

  -crime may be the only way to obtain advertised consumer goods

  -Alienation = leads to frustration e.g. violence and vandalism

  -competition between capitalists e.g. breach health and safety laws
• How does state and law making lead to crime?

  -bias = Chambliss argued laws are in place to protect private property of the rich

  -organized crime operation in capitalist societies

  -authorities 'turn a blind eye' e.g. HSBC got let off for money laundering because they were 'too big' to prosecute
• How does Ideological functions lead to crime?

  -Explains how the ruling class get away with crime

  -hide inequality between classes

  -Pearce (1976) = laws appear to benefit WC leading toa false class consciousness

  -working class blame each other as crime appears to be a working class phenomenon
• What is an example of a social action theory ?

  - Interactionist theory
• What is the interactionist theory?

  -interactions with others based on our labels

  -questions why some acts by some people come to be regarded as criminal

  - no act is inherently criminal = acts become criminal if society defines them as that
• What three studies support the interactionist theory?

  -Cicourel's 'Typification'

  -Cohen's 'Moral Panics'

  -Becker's 'Labelling
• What is Cicourel's study?

  -CJS are responsible for the labels given to criminals

  -CJS uses typification's to make decisions about were to patrol, who to stop and arrest

  -Typical delinquent = lower class, male, ethnic minority, young

  -people who fir this stereotype are more likely to be arrested and charged
• What does Cicourel's study show about the 'negotiation of justice' ?

  -people who don't fit the stereotypes more likely to be ignored by the police or be able to talk themselves out of being arrested/charged

  -crimes are more likely to be punished according to the label given
• What does Cohen argue?

  -the media is responsible for the labels created on criminals and moral panics can lead to more crime

  -media overexaggerate crimes and identify a folk devil which causes a moral panic = over reaction by society e.g. mods and rockers
• What is the deviancy amplification cycle?

  -media's moral panics lead to more crime

  -crackdown on deviance can increase crime

  -the more we label and try to control it the more it increases -can cause retaliation and encourage more people to get involved
• What does Becker argue?

  -importance of labelling

  -can become a master status hereby it takes over all parts of a person's identity

  -labelling can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy whereby someone becomes the label, because it was made in the first place
• What is Right Realism ?

  -heavier punishment will deter criminals as there is a greater chance of detection not because of the heavy sanction
• What studies support right realism?

  -Wilson & Hernstein

  -Murray
• What three factors so right realists focus on when looking at the cause of crime?

  -biological factors

  -inadequate socialisation

  -rational choice
• What are the biological factors argued by Right Realism?

  -Wilson and Herrnstein = personality traits such as aggression, risk taking and intelligence are innate

  -biological differences make some more likely to commit crime
• What does Right Realism mean by inadequate socialisation?

  -effective socialisation can reduce the chances of someone committing crime as it teaches them self-control

  -Right realists argue socialisation takes place in the family