Functionalism views society as a living organism made up of interconnected parts. Functionalists believe deviance and crime are inevitable in society and may serve useful purposes, such as strengthening social bonds and values. Early functionalist theorists like Durkheim argued crime was necessary for society and helped unite law-abiding citizens. Later functionalists such as Merton, Cohen, and Cloward and Ohlin explored how social and economic factors like anomie, status frustration, and unequal opportunity could lead individuals to engage in criminal acts. However, functionalist theories have been criticized for not fully explaining the complex causes of crime.

1. Functionalist Theories of
Crime

2. Functionalism
Society is made up of ‘building blocks’
- living organism.
All parts exist to enable it to work as
a whole.
Born into an existing system of moral
codes which are learned through
socialisation.
Deviance occurs through social
pressures.

3. Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)
Crime is necessary for society.
Deviance important to the well-being
of society and challenges to
established moral and legal laws acted
to unify the law-abiding.
Fails to recognise causes of crime

4. Further Functionalist Theories
Robert Merton (1938) – crime due to
anomie and strain. Using illegal means
to achieve material goals.
Albert Cohen (1955) – ‘status
frustration’. Lower class using illegal
means to achieve middle class goals.
Cloward and Ohlin (1961) – working
class have less opportunity to succeed.

5. Read P468-472
What are the merits of these
theories?
Do they explain crime adequately?

6. Read P468-472
What are the merits of these
theories?
Do they explain crime adequately?