This document summarizes key aspects of functionalist explanations of deviance. It discusses two important functionalist theorists - Emile Durkheim and Robert Merton. It outlines Durkheim's view that crime is a normal and inevitable part of society that can serve functions like strengthening social solidarity. It also discusses Merton's strain theory, which argues that a mismatch between cultural goals and legitimate means to achieve them can result in deviant behavior. The document also notes criticisms of functionalism and outlines alternative approaches like interactionism.
3. Functionalism
• Let’s begin with a criticism...
“Being peripheral and ad hoc, functionalist
criminology may be represented as a
somewhat piecemeal accumulation of
arguments. It has not been integrated,
organized or coherent, and it has not been the
subject of lengthy debate.” (Downes & Rock
1995, pg 97)
Downes and Rock (1995) Understanding Deviance. Oxford, OUP.
4. Criticism (cont.)
• Functionalism has been found wanting in its
explanations of society in recent years.
• Unlike other major theoretical perspectives
such as Marxism, interactionism and
feminism, no specific functionalist
criminology exists with its own individual
interpretations of: crime statistics, the
source of criminality and potential policy
solutions.
5. Functionalism
• This is not to say the functionalist perspective
is not important.
• It has informed the subcultural theories and
the work of Durkheim on deviance still
significant.
6. Functionalist Approach
• Rather than starting with the individual as
with biological and psychological theories, the
functionalist analysis of deviance starts begins
with society as a whole.
7. Crime as Inevitable
• Durkheim argued that crime is an inevitable
and normal aspect of social life.
• Crime is present in all types of society, indeed
the crime rate is higher in the more advanced,
industrialized countries.
• It is inevitable because not every member of
society can be equally committed to the
collective sentiments (shared values and
beliefs)
Haralambos and Holborn (1995) 4ed., pg 389
8. Durkheim
• Durkheim imagines a ‘society of saints’
populated by perfect individuals.
• In such a society there would be no murder or
robbery but there would still be deviance as
the slightest slip would be regarded as a
serious offence and would attract strong
disapproval.
Haralambos and Holborn (1995) 4ed., pg 389
9. Crime as functional
• Crime is not only inevitable – it is functional.
• Durkheim argued it only becomes
dysfunctional when it its rate is unusually high
or low.
• He argues that all social change begins with
some form of deviance.
• If collective sentiments are too strong – there
will be little deviance and little change or
progress.
Haralambos and Holborn (1995) 4ed., pg 389
10. Crime as functional
• Conversely if there is little
collective sentiment, there will
be too much crime and
deviance and individuality
rises and the status quo
breaks down.
• This is what Durkheim
referred to as anomie – the
loss of shared and guiding
principles and norms.
11. Crime as Functional
• Durkheim also suggested that crime
strengthens social cohesion
• By publically condemning those who have
broken significant rules we are aware of the
norms and values and the limits of toleration
and unite against the condemned
• The public response to crime and deviance is
what is functional as it reinforces social
solidarity and integrates society
Watch Chris Livesey clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9DgtZ0fbL0
12. The Function of Punishment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZs0KYbD0Gg
• According to Durkheim, the function of
punishment is not remove crime, but to ‘heal
the wounds done to the collective
sentiments’.
• Without punishment – the collective
sentiments would lose their force and
strength
• For Durkheim – crime and punishment are
both inevitable and functional.
Haralambos and Holborn (1995) 4ed., pg 389
13. Albert Cohen
• Albert K. Cohen identified two possible
functions of deviance:
1. A safety valve – deviance provides a relatively
harmless expression of discontent. For example,
prostitution performs a safety valve function
without threatening the institution of the family.
2. Certain deviant acts also act as warning devices to
indicate an aspect of society is malfunctioning. For
example, truancy in schools may reveal
unsuspected causes of discontent leading to
changes.
Haralambos and Holborn (1995) 4ed., pg 390
14. Criticisms of Durkheim
• Durkheim didn’t explain why some groups
were more prone to deviance than others or
why certain forms of deviance seem to be
associated with certain groups.
• It was Robert K Merton who provided these
answers within a functionalist framework.
15. Robert K Merton (1930s)
• Merton argued that deviance resulted from
the culture and structure of society itself
(structuralist).
• He begins from the standard functionalist
position of value consensus – that is, all
members of society share the same values.
• According to Merton culture, especially
Western, attaches great importance to the
values of competition, success and wealth.
16. Social Structure and Anomie
• Since members of society are placed in
different positions in the social structure (e.g.
they differ in terms of class position), they do
not have the same opportunity of realizing the
shared values.
• This situation can generate anomie and
deviance.
• He refers to this as strain theory
17. Strain Theory
• Merton highlights that there is a strain
between the cultural goals of a society (in his
study the American Dream) and the legitimate
means to achieve these goals.
• Those who are at the bottom of the ladder
find it hardest to succeed, therefore they are
the ones who are more likely to seek
alternative routes to success.
18. Varieties of Deviant Responses
• Merton identifies five ways in which
individuals may respond to the strain between
goals and the means of achieving them in
society:
Conformity Most of the population cope by doing their
best and making the most of what society
offers them
19. Sir Allen Stanford was accused in
connection with an $8bn (£5.6bn)
investment fraud.
Innovation Commitment to cultural goals may remain
strong, but some people reject the
conventional means of acquiring wealth and
turn to illegal means
Ritualism
Some people have lost sight of material
goals, but derive satisfaction from fairly
meaningless jobs
20. Retreatism A small number of people reject both the
goals and the means, by dropping out of
society
Rebellion
People may rebel and seek to replace shared
goals and institutional means with more
radical alternatives, and may use violent
methods to achieve this
21. To sum up...
• Merton is highly critical of the driving social
values in western societies, based on what he
sees as competition and greed.
• He suggests that this encourages individuals
to break the law.
22. Criticisms of Merton
• Merton treats deviant responses as
exclusively the actions of individuals. He fails
to take into consideration the communal
aspects of deviance and existence of deviant
subcultures.
• Albert K Cohen (1950s) has taken issue with
Merton’s theory on individual response and
they suggest that we should see deviance as a
collective response to structurally imposed
problems.
24. Deviance
• Any behavior, belief, or condition that violates
social norms in the society or group in which it
occurs:
– drinking too much
– robbing a bank
– laughing at a funeral
25. What Is Social Control?
• Practices that social groups develop to
encourage conformity to norms, rules, and
laws and to discourage deviance.
26. What Is Social Control?
• Internal social control takes place when
individuals internalize norms and values and
follow those norms and values in their lives.
• External social control involves negative
sanctions that proscribe certain behaviors and
punish rule breakers.
