Functionalism and crime A Level Summary

Functionalism and crime A Level Summary

1. Durkheim

   • "crime is normal, an integral part of society"
     • causes are diversity, anomie, and how not everyone is effectively socialised
   • functions are crime include boundary maintenance

2. Merton's Strain Theory

   • The American Dream strives us to achieve
     • middle class = work to achieve goal, working class have blocked opportunities and innovate in order to achieve
   • Adaptions to strain: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, rebellion

3. A. Cohen

   • Status frustration

4. Cloward and Ohlin

   • subcultures
     • criminal: provides utilitarian crime, in areas of longstanding criminal activity
     • conflict: areas of high population turnover and high levels of social disorganisation, gangs
     • retreatist: in any area, can't always turn to organised crime, turn to crimes like drugs