CITE SOURCES 8. Although the act of committing crimes or deviant acts may be detrimental to the individual, people, organizations, and society, Structural Functionalist theorists are of the view that crimes are functional. How are crimes or deviant acts functional to society? Using your own examples, explain Robert Merton’s “Strain theory” on why people commit crimes (hint; don’t forget to list the typologies of Merton when discussing this theory). Are prisons and jails the most effective way to control or punish criminals? Why or why not?
CITE SOURCES
8. Although the act of committing crimes or deviant acts may be detrimental to the individual, people, organizations, and society, Structural Functionalist theorists are of the view that crimes are functional. How are crimes or deviant acts functional to society? Using your own examples, explain Robert Merton’s “Strain theory” on why people commit crimes (hint; don’t forget to list the typologies of Merton when discussing this theory). Are prisons and jails the most effective way to control or punish criminals? Why or why not?
Crime and deviance are among the fundamental concepts in the field of sociology, shedding light on behaviours that violate societal norms and laws. Crime refers to actions or behaviours deemed illegal by a society's legal system, often resulting in punishment or sanctions. Deviance, on the other hand, encompasses a broader range of behaviours that simply diverge from established social norms, which may or may not be illegal. The study of crime and deviance explores why individuals engage in such behaviours, how society reacts to them, and the consequences for both the individual and society as a whole.
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