Consensus Theories of Crime -Functionalist and Strain Theories: Summary Version

Last Updated on January 18, 2019 by Karl Thompson

Introduction/ The basics

Consensus Theory – Social Institutions generally work, social control is good, crime is dysfunctional (bad)
Closely related to Subcultural Theories
1890 -1940s

Durkheim’s Functionalist Theory

Crime is natural and inevitable, society needs crime.
There are three positive functions of crime – social integration/ social regulation/ social change

Hirschi’s Social Control/ Bonds of Attachment Theory

Crime is most common amongst individuals who are detached from society
Four types of attachment – Commitment, Involvement, Attachment, Belief

Correlation between truancy, single parent households, unemployment and crime

Merton’s Strain Theory

There is a strain between society’s cultural value system (valuing money) and the social structure which fails to provide opportunities for everyone to achieve these goals legitimately.

In times of strain, there are five adaptations
Three of these are deviant – innovation, retreatism and rebellion.

Institutional Anomie Theory (IAT)

Merton’s Strain Theory on steroids.
The cultural value system of achieving monetary success has now the core value taught in every institution – The media, and education especially.

Overall Evaluations of Functionalist and Strain Theories of Crime

Positive

Negative

Generally – recognise the relationship between social structure and crime
Durkheim – Crime does exist in every society
Durkheim – Recognises that a crime-free society is an unrealistic goal
Hirschi – Official Statistics support
Merton – Explains different types of deviance
IAT – Recognises recent social changes

X –Can’t explain hidden crimes such as Domestic Violence

X – Durkhiem – Fails to ask ‘Functional for whom’ – ignores victims (Left Realism)

X – Can’t explain elite crimes, elites are attached (Marxism)

X – Ignores Power and Labelling, doesn’t recognise that crime stats are socially constructed and elite crimes happen but generally aren’t recorded. (Interactionism)

X – Can’t explain recent decrease in crime.