He is commonly cited as the principal architect of the modern social science and the ‘father’ of sociology. Most of his work was focused with how societies could maintain their integrity and coherence in a state called modernity; this is a period in which the traditional social and religious links are no longer presumed, furthermore modernity involves itself with the way new social institutions have come into being.
Durkheim’s contributions to criminological thought are still valid today, he once said that ‘Crime is something that offends every normal individual’s strong and defined sentiments’, (Breathnach, 2002) he had 6 early ideas about crime and deviance. The first of which he said that crime is normal in all societies, that it serves a function and it may help keep the societies in order. These functions can help define crimes and understand them. Secondly he said that crime is bound up with conflict. Crime is more often than not class based for example the crime committed by the powerful; more important members of society are overlooked whereas the crimes of the weakest have more of a weight about them. Crimes can be understood in terms of, in most cases, economic interests. Crime is linked to tensions, stresses and strains in society, a breakdown in it called anomie or social disorganization. By looking at these strains and tension that exist in society crime can be identified. The forth idea is that crime is very much linked to city life. For example there are cultural areas that have a higher concentration of criminal or deviant ways of life. These particular areas may have differing values, language, norms and dress code. In terms of this aspect this sort of crime can be comprehended better through the mapping of these areas. Furthermore crime can be learned in ordinary everyday situations and it can be understood by analyzing life’s histories and how people learn their meanings and values. And finally crime is due to the lack of attachments to certain groups that value law-abiding behaviour. This is when the controls and regulations that keep the society safe and secure breakdown. This aspect can be understood properly through the breakdown of these social controls. On the topic of punishment Durkheim suggests that ‘Punishment is a passionate social reaction, of graduated intensity’, (Breathnach, 2002).
In addition to this he had 4 ideas that were the functions of crime and deviance. The first was that deviance is crucial to the process of creating and maintaining morality. He said that in culture people have moral choices over what to do and how to live whether it be good and bad. ‘No good without evil, therefore no justice without crime’. Secondly deviance tends to clarify and label moral boundaries. By cataloguing individuals as being deviant it draws social boundaries between people and their behaviours. If we were to emphasize deviance then it will also force conformity, the matter of following norms, to our attention. Thirdly deviance promotes ‘social unity’ through collective outrages. For example how we, as a society, react to certain situations, particularly serious situations. We act as one with one mind of sorts and it reaffirms our moral ties that bind us together. Finally deviance may encourage social change as it pushes limits and gives us an alternative to the status quo, the way we live now. ‘Histories deviance is today’s expectation, todays deviance is tomorrow’s morality’. Both of these ideas and functions on crime and deviance are still relevant today as they can be applied to nowadays situations.
In 1893 he wrote ‘The division of labour in society’, which was probably his most famous piece of work.in summary, it outlined the process of individualisation, the way an individual acts. It explains that moral rules need to become more flexible and adjustable. Durkheim states the potential negative impacts of ‘specialisation’, making something suitable for a special purpose. The collective conscience becomes weaker and more abstract. There is a rise of reliance on the organic unity and the mutual interdependence of the individual and groups. Also there are higher levels of egoism, vanity, and anomie, the lack of norms. ‘Anomie’ is also referenced to in Durkheim ‘suicide’ book, from where it was popularized.
In 1898, Durkheim created the ‘Année Sociologique’, which was the first social science journal in France. He saw this as a way to publicize his work and that of his students and other scholars that work within his sociological pattern. In 1913 Durkheim was made professor by a unanimous vote and then assumed the role of Director of Primary Education at the Ministry of Public Instruction. (Jones, R, A, 1986)
Durkheim went into depression when his son, Andre, was declared missing in January of the Great War and declared dead in April 1916. Devastated by this Durkheim withdrew into a ‘ferocious silence’. As a result he buried himself in his work which ultimately led to his stroke and after months of recovering he began work again but on he eventually died on 15th November, 1917, aged just 59. (Jones, R. A, 1986)
Emile Durkheim since his death, in 1917, has influenced many people with his work and theories for example Pierre Bourdieu and Marcel Mauss both French sociologists, there have been many more but the list would be too long to elaborate. Durkheim’s work will be forever remembered as his ideas were original in his time and are still taught and debated about even now.
References-
Newburn, T, (2009). Key reading in Criminology. Oxfordshire: Willan Publishing.
Jones, R. A. (1986). Emile Durkheim: An Introduction to Four Major Works. California: Sage Publications, Inc.
Breathnach, S, (2002). Emile Durkheim on crime and punishment (an exegesis) USA: Dissertation.Com
Vito. G. F. Maahs. J. R, (2012). Criminology- theory, research and policy, Third edition. USA: Jones & Bartlett Learning
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