Find out more about Durkheim, Cohen and Merton's ideas using textbooks/internet
When making notes remember to think about not only their ideas but also potential criticisms of these and how strong these criticisms are.
Note and annotate to show where you agree/disagree.

Social Constructs - Foucault = definitions of crime & deviance change over time
Situational Deviance vs. Societal Deviance
Subcultures - alter the mainstream norms and values
Sanctions = formal/informal; positive/negative

try to think of examples of sanctions used within the family (primary socialisation); education (secondary socialisation) and wider society.

Human nature makes crime unavoidable - what's the no. 1 cause of crime in your opinion?
It has a purpose - think here about CONSENSUS STRUCTURALISM, how does Durkheim approach his explanations of society as a whole?

Can you think of a society where crime does not exist?
Think! Why does crime happen? Human emotion?

Could a communist system eliminate crime?

How else does this fit with the consensus structuralist approach? Think back to Murdock and the family - he said that the functions of the family were universal. These ideas would fit with the notion that society is structured, ordered, predictable.

Are ideas of crime today, the same as 50 years ago?
Do we view crime in the same way as other cultures? e.g. Saudi Arabia?
What is a 'social construct'?
Does this fit with your understanding of crime?

Here you can link back to Foucault - talking about how ideas of deviance change with time.

is all crime negative for society? What might be the benefits of crime for society to function?

Think about boundaries, socialisation, reinforcement of values.

Does society change? If so, how/why does it change? Could crime and deviance help this to happen?

If crime&deviance too high/too low = dysfunctional society social order/social change

Keyword link - ANOMIE

deviance such as prostitution = a safety valve, releasing tension but not threatening.
Warning device to identify emerging social problems

Why do people commit crime?

What is 'the American Dream'? What are your goals? Could everyone achieve these through socially accepted means?

Merton believes that everyone has shared goals 'the American Dream' but that there is a poor fit or 'strain' between the goals and the ability to achieve these for some people so...

STRAIN THEORY

Merton says there are five responses - the first is CONFORMITY - we do what is expected and strive for the best outcome through accepted means.

most of us do 'what is expected' education, work hard
...but what if we don't?

THINK! What would Marxists say about the education system and the purpose of the family?

You might be 'creative' with how you achieve those goals, and this could be legal or illegal.

Criminal response will clearly be the 'illegal' one

THINK! Who makes the law? What would Marxists say about this?

Deviant NOT criminal, give up trying, 'settle' for what you have.

THINK! back to education: aspirations?

This is deviant as you are EXPECTED to want to 'do better' constantly, but what if you don't?

can be both deviant and criminal in that you stop seeking the 'dream' and accepted goals and instead turn to drink/drugs

THINK! 'Mum, heroin and me'; Ross Kemp 'Extreme World: Chicago' what did these addicts have in common?

urge to replace the 'dream' with an alternative - criminal response

Criticisms of MERTON:
works within capitalist society - where financial success is valued above any other kind.
BUT
Where other values are pushed, the crime rate is lower (but still exists - see Durkheim and UNIVERSAL)
Criticisms of FUNCTIONALIST theory:
accept Crime Statistics as 'true' rather than questioning them as social constructs or considering why one group may be more likely to appear to commit crime than another.
What other criticisms can you find?

Revisit your reading and your notes - are you going to add anything? Have we answered all the questions you had? If not, make certain you do one of the following:
a. ask next lesson
b. tweet - anyone can help you?!
c. email me