Theories of crime and deviance: functionalist

Introduction to Functionalist Theories

The Functionalist school of thought in sociology views deviance and crime as inevitable and even necessary parts of society.
Durkheim, a key functionalist thinker, proposed that crime functions to establish boundaries and create social cohesion.

Durkheim’s Theory of Crime and Deviance

Durkheim proposed that crime is necessary and serves several key functions, such as reinforcing collective values and contributing to social change. He asserts that crime exists in all societies, suggesting a certain level is normal.
His concept of Anomie (normlessness) explains societal conditions in which individuals are likely to violate norms. Anomie can occur during periods of rapid social change or serious societal disorder.
He also touched on the issue of society’s collective conscience, comprising widely held beliefs and values in a society. A collective conscience often sets the norms and boundaries of behavior, thereby defining the deviant act.

Merton’s Strain Theory

Merton’s Strain Theory is a development of Durkheim’s Concept of Anomie. Merton claimed that American society places a strong emphasis on success, yet only a limited number of people can realistically achieve success in socially acceptable ways (i.e., by educational attainment or occupational achievement).
This discrepancy between cultural goals (what society considers success) and institutionalized means (acceptable ways to achieve success) results in strain, leading individuals to resort to deviant means to reach these goals.
Merton outlines five possible responses to this strain: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion.

Other Functionalist Theories

Other functionalist theories include Parsons’s ‘sick role’ theory, which proposes that deviant behavior can function as a form of social sanction or warning sign, drawing attention to an area of social life that is not functioning properly.
Hirschi’s Control Theory suggests that people are deterred from criminal behaviour not by punishment, but by their relationships with others, commitments to conventional activities, involvement in activities and belief in moral validity of social rules.

Conclusion

Functionalist theories see crime and deviance as not necessarily negative but an integral part of social structure. They provide a lens to understand why certain behaviors are considered deviant and how social change influences these definitions.
While these theories have been criticised, particularly for their deterministic nature and neglect of power relations, they remain foundational in the study of crime and deviance, encouraging a broader understanding of society’s role in crime and deviance.