Functionalism provides a normative definition of crime and deviance as actions that violate social norms. It views society as based on consensus around shared core values. Crime is seen as functional for defining boundaries and reinforcing social bonds, and as inevitable because not everyone will fully commit to social norms. However, functionalism does not fully explain individual motivations for crime or issues of power in society. It influenced Robert Merton's strain theory, which argues crime stems from a disjunction between cultural goals like wealth and the legitimate means to achieve them.

1. Functionalism, Crime and Deviance
1. The Normative Approach
2. Durkheim’s F.I.N.

2. The ‘normative’ approach
• Functionalism provides a normative
definition of crime and deviance.
• That means – it is action which consists
of a violation of social norms.
• It presents an image of society in which
exist shared norms and values. The
deviant is the person who breaks these
shared norms and values.
• Fundamental to the functionalist
philosophy is the idea that society is
underpinned by consensus.
• Durkheim claims that society shares a set
of ‘core values’ (ie the collective
conscience).
• The more behaviour deviates from these
core values the more likely such
behaviour is seen as ‘deviant’

3. Sociological Implications
• If there are core values in
society it has implications for
how crime and deviance is
researched and studied.
• Using this model, sociologists
must explain why only some
people act in a deviant manner.
• It focuses on how dysfunctional
behaviour within social
institutions (family, education
mass media, religion etc..) make
some people into
criminals/deviants - people who
conform have been ‘properly
socialised’.

4. Crime is Functional
• Crime is functional for society.
• Boundaries of acceptable
behaviours are made known by
the arrest of those who
transgress/break the rules.
• Strengthens social bonds
between people and reaffirms
values when they are drawn
together by horrific crimes.
• Public opinion on crime acts like
a gauge and can cause change in
the law (eg Megan’s law-USA
and Sarah's Law-UK)

5. Crime is Inevitable
• It is impossible for everyone
to be equally committed to
the norms and values to
society.
• “Even in a society of saints a
distinction would be made
between what is acceptable
and unacceptable behaviour.”
• “Because there are
differences between people,
there will always be those
who step over the boundary
of acceptable behaviour.”

6. Crime is Normal
• There is no society where there
is no crime.
• Abnormal levels of crime occur
in times of social upheaval – the
power of the collective
conscience is weakened and a
state of anomie develops as
people look after their own
interests rather than respecting
their neighbours.
• Individualism can therefore be
seen as a source of crime andor
deviance.

7. Functionalism evaluated 1
• Demonstrates the useful purpose
served by crime (ie highlights
inconsistencies within the social
structure, reinforces the collective
conscience etc..)
• Offers an explanation that
emphasizes a social (as opposed to a
physiological/psychological)
dimension to crime.
• Explains the reason for unhealthy
levels of crime which could be
altered by social engineering (eg
introducing new laws, governmental
policies etc..).
• Avoids biological/psychological
theories which refer to ‘sick’
individuals.

8. Functionalism evaluated 2
• Does not explain individual
motivations and why only some
people commit crime.
• It assumes harmony and that the law
reflects the interests of the
majority, in doing so it ignores the
issue of power (ie who has it and
who hasn’t)
• Over emphasis on the degree of
consensus in society.
• May result in a pessimistic approach
regarding the control of crime (more
laws, stricter policing, harsher
sentencing etc…)

9. Robert K. Merton
• Durkheim’s analysis is a fundamental
influence on Merton’s Social Structure
and Anomie (1949) theory.
• AKA Strain to Anomie Theory
• Argues that crime and deviance is caused
by the inter-relationship between:
(1) The cultural goals set by society (eg
acquisition of money, wealth, status,
power in western/capitalist society)
(2) The chances and means of achieving such
goals.
(3) Merton's theory highlights the
inconsistencies in the American Dream
ideology.
(4) * For your next sociology class:
research and be able to explain what
the American dream is.

10. Robert K. Merton
• Durkheim’s analysis is a fundamental
influence on Merton’s Social Structure
and Anomie (1949) theory.
• AKA Strain to Anomie Theory
• Argues that crime and deviance is caused
by the inter-relationship between:
(1) The cultural goals set by society (eg
acquisition of money, wealth, status,
power in western/capitalist society)
(2) The chances and means of achieving such
goals.
(3) Merton's theory highlights the
inconsistencies in the American Dream
ideology.
(4) * For your next sociology class:
research and be able to explain what
the American dream is.