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A Level Crime and Deviance 40m - Functionalism
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A* 40 mark essay on Functionalist theories in relation to Crime and Deviance.
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Evaluate Functionalist explanations of crime and deviance {40 marks}Functionalists believe there is a value consensus in society. This is because they
assume that society collectively shares and agrees on the same values. Thus we all
agree on what is deviant and what is normal or what is legal or illegal.
Functionalist Durkheim believes that crime is inevitable and a normal aspect of social
life and thus found in all societies. Firstly, not everyone is effectively socialised into
the shared norms and values so some individuals always break the rules. Secondly,
modern society is complex due to many differing lifestyles and values. Thus leading to
some deviating from the mainstream. Durkheim also argues that when someone is
insufficiently integrated into society’s norms and values, they are more likely to
engage in criminal behaviour. This may be due to the result of poor socialisation and
values that regulate behaviour are not sufficient enough to function appropriately in
society. Durkheim also believes that crime and deviance also perform positive
functions for society. One way is the strengthening of collective values, as the function
of punishment is not to remove crime in society but to set boundaries between right
and wrong. Thus leading to boundaries being maintained. However, Durkheim ignores
the impacts on the victims. Left Realists being that it is disadvantaged groups in
society are those who are at risk of being victims as they live in a state of relative
derivation.
Functionalist Cohen would agree with Durkheim that crime performs positive functions
for society. This is because he believes that crime acts as a safety valve and through
crime people can release the stresses in Society, providing an outlet for discontent
while avoiding more serious challenges to the social order. Polsky argues that
pornography safely ‘channels’ a variety of sexual desires away from alternatives such
as adultery, which would pose a much greater threat to the family. Also believe that
crime acts as a warning. This is because society is not working properly, and there is a
potential threat to the social order. However, the explanation of how crime can be
functional for society does not give a sufficient explanation for why some people
commit crimes in the first place.
Functionalist Merton argues that there’s a strain within society between the goals
people aspire to have and the means of achieving those goals. Merton stated it was
the young, working-class delinquent that experienced strain the most, often not
having the most appropriate means to achieve such goals. This deviance is a result of
goals that a culture encourages individuals to achieve and what the institutional
structure of society allows them to achieve. The strain between the cultural goal of
money and success and the lack of the legitimate means to achieve it produces
frustration and pressure on individuals with some resorting to illegitimate means such
as crime and deviance. Merton suggests there are 5 types of adaptations in which
members of society respond to strain. One is innovation, as individuals reject the
illegitimate means of achieving success and innovate by turning to deviant means like
crime. One example is a member of the working class turning to dealing drugs to
generate some income. However, Merton fails to recognise the dark figure of crime.
Marxists would argue that official crime statistics ignore white-collar crime as well as
the power of the ruling class to make and enforce the laws. Overall the lower classes
are not a homogeneous group in which all strive for material success.
Functionalists Cloward and Ohlin argue that Merton and Cohen fail to explain why
delinquent subcultures take different forms in response to strain to anomie. They
suggest different subculture responses occur, not only due to unequal access to
legitimate opportunity structures but also access to illegitimate opportunity structures.
This is because there’s greater pressure on members of the working class to deviate.
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