A brief summary table covering structural and action, consensus and conflict, and modern and post-modern perspectives on crime and deviance. Not sure how well it will cut and paste mind!
Students will obviously need to know more than this, but it’s still important to review the basics from time to time to check your understanding and how all the bits fit together!
Theory |
Key Name |
Criticism |
|
|
Durkheim (1895) |
|
C. Assumes the laws are created through value consensus. |
|
Hirschi |
|
C. Lack of attachment does not automatically lead to people becoming criminals. There are also ‘pull factors’ such as peer group pressure. |
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Merton (1938) |
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C. Exaggerates working class crime – Ignored non-utilitarian crime. |
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Albert Cohen (1955) |
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C. Willis’ research criticises this – status frustration does not lead to a subculture – boys form a subculture because they think school is irrelevant to their future lives |
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Cloward & Ohlin (1962) |
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C. TW + Y say this theory still assumes people are committed to achieving wealth. Some, e.g. hippies, aren’t. |
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Charles Murray (1989) |
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C. Marxists would argue that Long term unemployment is a structural failing of the Capitalist system |
|
Becker (1963) |
|
C. Blaming authorities absolves criminals of responsibility |
|
Becker (1963) |
Labelling can lead to crime –
|
C.
|
|
Gordon |
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C. Crime was still present in communist societies. |
|
Chambliss |
|
C. Crime in the UK has been decreasing while inequality has been increasing |
|
Snider |
Many of the most serious deviant acts are “corporate crime” (M/C) |
C. Left Realists argue that Marxist focus too much on corp. crime; burglaries cause more distress and victims = W/C |
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Taylor, Walton and Young (1973) |
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C.
|
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Taylor Walton and Young (LR) and Wilson (RR) |
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c. Marxists argue these are ignoring the root cause of crime |
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Lea + Young |
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C. Marxists argue these are ignoring the root cause of crime |
|
Lea and Young |
|
C. Community policing is really about the state controlling people’s lives. |
|
James Q Wilson |
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C. Jones (92) says that lack of investment is more important than Z.T. in preventing crime. |
|
James Q Wilson |
|
C. Crime displacement |
|
Robert Reiner |
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Can’t explain decrease in crime since the mid-1990s |
|
Jock Young |
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C. Is this any different to Strain Theory? |
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