CRM 1300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Solidarity, Anomie, Group Cohesiveness

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRM 1300
• Professor: Wahida Chowdhury

Document Summary

Criminal law reflects interests of powerful groups that create and enforce those laws. Strain theory fits general orientation of consensus perspective. Social institutions contribute to smooth running of society. Crime occurs when something unusual happens that affect institutions. Results in strain, stress, frustrations that affect behaviour. Wrote division of labour in society (1893) Shared goals that lead to a set of shares norms. Popularized concept of anomie to explain crime in more advanced and differentiated urban societies. During rapid social change, social solidarity can break down. Social cohesion breaks down and social isolation is great = society loses traditional social control mechanisms. Applied ideas of anomie to american situation in 1938. Crime = result of gap between culturally prescribed aspirations and socially structured means of realizing aspirations. In america, material wealth and accumulation of money and status = universal goals. Culturally prescribed aspirations defined by culture and transmitted to members of society. Legitimate means of achieving aspirations = socially structured.