Assess the view that crime is functional, inevitable and normal

The first 200 words of this essay...

Assess the view that crime is functional, inevitable and normal (33 marks)

Within the sociological perspectives of crime and deviance, there is one particular approach which argues that crime is functional, inevitable and normal. This sociological perspective, Functionalism, consists of Emile Durkheim's work on crime and deviance. His main argument was that 'crime is normal' and that it is 'an integral part of all healthy societies.' This perspective views crime and deviance as an inevitable feature of all societies which is universal. However, Durkheim did argue that too much crime can lead to the destabilisation of society.

Durkheim identified three positive aspects of crime which make it a functional component of society. He done this through magnifying the positive impacts it can have on social cohesion which refers to the invisible bonds which bring people together within a society. There were three main positive aspects which he accentuated as they made crime and deviance functional. These were 'reaffirming the boundaries,' 'changing values' and 'social cohesion.' The first, reaffirming the boundaries, refers to situations where crime has already occurred. When the criminal is taken to court, the public outcry which follows verifies the boundaries. This can be seen particularly