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

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