Functionalist perspective of crime – revision notes
What are the functions of crime? It reinforces value consensus and social solidarity
- Durkheim said that the collective conscience created through crime provides boundaries to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. This is known as boundary maintenance.
- Crime unities society’s members by producing a reaction, and therefore reinforcing their feelings against wrong-doers and their commitment to the value consensus.
- Positive and negative sanctions (rewards and punishments) govern people’s behaviour, and remind people about what is right and wrong, reaffirming society’s values.
Other functions of crime
Albert Cohen
- Cohen also said that deviance acts as a warning signal to a particular institution that suggests it isn’t functioning properly.
- For example if there are high rates of students acting out and being naughty in schools, then it can suggest that the education system has problems
Leave a Reply