Theories of crime and deviance

Overview

Durkheim on the functions of crime, Merton's strain theory, Albert Cohen's status frustration, Chambliss's Saints and Roughnecks, Marxist differential enforcement, and Becker's labelling theory.

What you need to know

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Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   How do consensus and conflict theories differ in explaining crime?

   Model answer

   Consensus theorists see crime as a breakdown in shared values or a response to blocked goals. Conflict theorists see crime as shaped by inequality and by who holds power.

2. 2

   Why did Durkheim argue that crime is normal and inevitable?

   Model answer

   Émile Durkheim, the French founder of functionalism, argued in 1895 that crime exists in every society. Individuals are never equally committed to shared values, so some always deviate.

3. 3

   Name two functions of crime identified by functionalists.

   Model answer

   Crime reinforces moral boundaries when offenders are publicly punished, which strengthens solidarity. Deviance also allows new ideas to emerge, helping society adapt and change.

4. 4

   Give one criticism of the functionalist view of crime.

   Model answer

   Functionalists do not explain how much crime is the right amount for society. Crime does not always unite people, since it can also spread fear and isolation.

5. 5

   Who was Robert Merton, and what did he mean by anomie?

   Model answer

   Robert Merton was an American functionalist who set out strain theory in 1938. Merton used anomie to mean a state where social norms no longer guide behaviour effectively.

6. 6

   What is Merton's strain theory?

   Model answer

   Merton argued society sets goals such as wealth for everyone but denies many people legitimate means to reach them. The resulting strain pushes some people towards crime.

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