The Three Main Theories of Deviance and Their Strengths and Weaknesses

The Three Main Theories of Deviance and Their Strengths and Weaknesses A functionalist analysis of deviance looks for the source of deviance in the nature of society rather than in the biological or psychological nature of the individual. Although functionalists agree that social control mechanisms such as the police and the courts are necessary to keep deviance in check, many argue that a certain amount of deviance can contribute to the well-being of society. Durkhiem (1895) believed that: * Crime is an 'integral part of all healthy societies'. This is because individuals are exposed to different influences and will not be committed to the shared values and beliefs of society. * Crime can be functional. All societies need to progress and all social change begins with some form of deviance. In order for change to occur, yesterday's deviance must become tomorrow's normality. Nelson Mandela, once imprisoned as a 'terrorist', eventually became president of South Africa. * Societies need both crime and punishment. Without punishment the crime rate would reach a point where it became dysfunctional. Durkheim's views have been developed by A. Cohen (1966) who discussed two possible functions of deviance: 1. Deviance can be a 'safety valve', providing a relatively harmless expression of discontent. For example, prostitution enables men to escape from family life without undermining family stability. 2. Deviant acts can warn society that an aspect is not working properly, for example widespread truanting from school. Merton (1938) explains how deviance can result from the culture and ... ... (taking advantage of 'insider' knowledge to make huge profits on the stock exchange). This is illegal, which suggests that capitalists do not always get the laws they want. 5. 'Left Realists' believe that Marxists put too much emphasis on corporate crime. Other crimes such as burglary cause greater harm than Marxists imply. Their victims are usually working-class and the consequences can be devastating for them. 6. Post-modern Criminology rejects Marxist criminology as being neither believable nor defensible. Despite these criticisms, Marxism has been an influence on a number of critical perspectives on deviance. Some have drawn their inspiration from Marxism and can be referred to as neo-Marxist approaches. Others owe less to Marxism and are better defined as radical approaches.