Durkheim's Functionalist View of Crime and Deviance

Émile Durkheim, a key figure in functionalist perspectives on crime and deviance, argued that deviance serves important social functions. He viewed deviant behavior as normal, inevitable, and even necessary for society.

According to Durkheim, the functions of deviance include:

1. Boundary maintenance - Clarifying and reinforcing social norms
2. Promoting social change - Challenging outdated rules and values
3. Acting as a safety valve for societal tensions

Durkheim theorized that modern societies experience more deviance due to weaker social bonds and rapid social change leading to anomie (normlessness). He believed both too much and too little deviance could indicate a dysfunctional society.

Definition: Anomie refers to a state of normlessness or lack of social regulation in society, often resulting from rapid social change.

Highlight: Durkheim's perspective views crime as a normal and functional aspect of society, rather than as a purely negative phenomenon.

However, critics argue that Durkheim's ideas do not provide practical solutions for tackling crime. Marxist theorists criticize his failure to question who makes the rules in society. Other functionalists sought to explain why some individuals deviate while others conform.

Example: A society with no crime might actually be dysfunctional, as it could indicate extreme repression or a lack of social change.

Robert Merton's Strain Theory

Robert Merton developed the strain theory in 1938, building on Durkheim's concept of anomie. This theory is a key component of functionalist perspectives on crime and deviance, offering insights into why some individuals turn to criminal behavior.

Merton argued that society socializes people to desire certain goals (like the "American Dream") but doesn't provide equal means to achieve them. This creates a strain between social goals and the available means to attain them, leading to various adaptations:

1. Conformity: Accepting both goals and means
2. Innovation: Accepting goals but rejecting means (may lead to crime)
3. Ritualism: Rejecting goals but accepting means
4. Retreatism: Rejecting both goals and means
5. Rebellion: Substituting new goals and means

Example: An individual who desires wealth (goal) but lacks legitimate means to attain it might turn to theft or fraud (innovation).

Evaluating Strain Theory:

• Strengths: Explains some types of crime, especially economically motivated offenses
• Weaknesses: Doesn't account for non-utilitarian crimes or explain why most people don't commit crimes

Criticism: Marxists argue that both goals and means stem from bourgeois ideology, not a true value consensus.

Highlight: Merton's strain theory provides a framework for understanding how social pressures can lead to criminal behavior, particularly when individuals lack legitimate means to achieve socially approved goals.

Travis Hirschi's Social Bond Theory

Travis Hirschi introduced the social bond theory in 1969, also known as social control theory. This perspective, part of the broader functionalist view on crime and deviance, focuses on why people conform to societal norms rather than engage in criminal behavior.

Hirschi identified four key bonds of attachment that promote social control:

1. Attachment: Emotional connections to others, especially family and friends
2. Commitment: Investment in conventional activities and institutions
3. Involvement: Time spent in socially approved activities
4. Belief: Acceptance of society's moral and legal codes

Definition: Social bond theory proposes that strong social ties and commitments to conventional society prevent individuals from engaging in criminal behavior.

Example: A person with a stable job, strong family ties, and active community involvement is less likely to commit crimes due to the risk of losing these valuable connections.

Hirschi's theory suggests that individuals with weak or broken social bonds are more likely to engage in deviant behavior. However, critics argue that this perspective doesn't explain why some people have stronger social bonds than others.

Highlight: Hirschi's social bond theory shifts the focus from why people commit crimes to why they don't, emphasizing the importance of social connections in preventing deviant behavior.