Sociological theories

• Why is crime inevitable?

  Not every member of society can be equally committed to societies norms and values so crime will always occur
• When does crime become dysfunctional?

  When the rates are too high or too low
• Why are punishments good?

  Maintains societies norms and values
• What's boundary maintenance?


  Crime unites society by identifying the wrongdoer and reaffirming societal norms
• Why is crime a safety value?

  Some crimes need to occur to reduce wider conflict in society
• How is crime a warning light/safety value?

  Crime indicates what institutions aren't functioning properly and challenges rules therefore showing what laws need changing
• What's a shared goal?

  Everyone in society shares the same goals however for some these goals will be blocked
• What's the strain theory?

  Cultural factors/goals and wider structural factors/means become dysfunctional
• What is value consensus?

  Mass agreement of what is important and valued by society
• What's meritocracy? 


  A society based on the most hard-working get the most power
• What did Merton believe was the cause of crime?

  The result of valuing the goals more then the means of achieving them and the unequal structure of society
• What is innovation?


  Accept the goals but find illegal ways of achieving them by committing crime (common in the lower class)
• What is ritualism?


  Give up on the goals and just live
• What's retreatism?


  Dropouts who reject the goals and means such as drunks and addicts
• What's rebellion?

  Reject the goals and means by replacing them with new ones with the aim to change society
• What's a subculture?


  Groups who have different norms and values that provide an alternative to mainstream culture
• What did A.Cohen believe deviance was a result of?

  A group failing to achieve cultural norms
• Whats status frustration?


  People who feel worthless if they can't achieve society goals so seek alternative status and hierarchy such as subcultures
• What's a criminal subculture?


  Longstanding and established criminal networks that already exist
• What's a conflict subculture?

  Only criminal oppurtunites are within the group
• What's a retreatist subculture?

  Dropouts who have resorted to alcohol and drug abuse
• What are the bourgeoisie?


  The upper class/factory owners
• What are the proletariat? 


  Working class/factory workers
• What do Marxists believe in?

  Believe capitalism is criminogenic and communism is the better option and that laws and it's enforcement by the court and police are simply a mean of keeping the working class in place
• How is capitalism criminogenic?

  The exploitation of the working class drives many into poverty meaning they need to turn to crime to survive and inequality causes feelings of alienation and frustrations which results in crime
• What do Marxists say about selective law enforcement and making?

  Laws favour the upper class, protecting private property of the rich and target the working class to stop them from revolting
• What are ideological functions of crime and law?

  People are unaware of the exploitation meaning capitalism is seen as natural and acceptable and the working class are blamed for problems rather then capitalism
• What do Marxists believe is the solution to crime?

  Revolution - Replacing capitalism with advanced communism and should vastly reduce crime
• How can society be made fairer?

  Incomes divided more equally, cut the growing pay gap and reduce inequality in the class system
• Positives of Marxism

  • Offers a useful explanation of the relationship between crime and capitalism such as crimes like white collar and state
  • Shows link between law enforcement and interest of the upper class as it offers solutions o how society could change
• Negatives of Marxism

  • Largely ignores relationship between crime and non class inequalities like gender and ethnicity
  • Not all capitalist societies have high crime rates
• What do left realists believe are the causes of crime?

  Subcultures, marginalisation (some people are more likely to suffer from deprivation), relative deprivation (subjective sense of being disadvantaged) and bulimic society (the poorest become more desperate to consume)
• What do left realists believe are the solutions of crime?

  Reduce inequality/deprivation, improve policing/community policing and restorative justice such as offender meditation and shaming
• What do right realists believe are the causes of crime?

  Biological differences, rational choice and inadequate socialisation such as single parent families and under class culture
• What do right realists believe are the solutions of crime?

  Target hardening/situational crime prevention , design out crime from the environment and zero tolerance policing
• What do realists say about crime?

  Both left and right agree that society has become more individualistic and they accept legal and normative definitions of crime
• What is primary crime prevention?

  Preventing crime before it occurs through strategies such as community programs and education.
• What is secondary crime prevention?

  Targeted at a group that are vulnerable or at risk of becoming victims
• What is tertiary crime prevention?

  Targeted at known offenders in order to reduce re-offending
• What is the labelling theory?

  Social theory that focuses on how individuals are labelled by society and how this affects their self-identity and behavior.