Theoretical Approaches To Crime

When Sociologists construct reasons on why crimes are committed, society gives their input as well. In other words, how society operates causes laws and crime to surface. There are multiple theories on why these issues surface, which is what I'll be writing about in this essay. The first theory is known as the Structural-Functional Analysis, which explains why society makes crime emerge. This theory indicates any method which conducts a society. Emile Durkheim, one of the original and best Sociologists, initiated his study that the issue of crime is omnipotent across the world.


Emile Durkheim stated that crime confirms society's common behaviors and belief, which means that humans are unable to have a standard of what can be good, when a conflicting activity that is wrong is not in existence. Therefore, Society notices crime so that way, they can create a moral compass. Noticing crime every individual in knowing the difference between good and bad. An example of this statement is that when a situation occurs where a college student is accused of cheating, the campus is taught that activities such as cheating are not allowed. A response to crime gathers various people. An example of example of this is if a person in a neighborhood becomes a victim to crime, other people have a potential within the neighborhood to respond in rage.


The last part of Emile Durkheim's theory states that crime encourages Sociological change. The next sociological theory is the Symbolic-Interaction Analysis. This theory explains how people create forms of reality in daily conduct. People within society get educated about crime in the area which they reside. A Sociologist known as Edwin Sutherland from 1940 states that a person learns what is morally right and wrong is within groups that are social. Therefore, the lifestyle an individual chooses is based upon contact of what group in which the individual resides.


That type of theory is known as differential association. The next sociological theory is the Social-Conflict Analysis. This theory states how crime becomes a result of inequality within society. An example of this theory was provided by Karl Marx. He recognized social problems through the disputes between class. He felt that legal operations in society protected capitalists, but not people who were average.

With average people turning to crime, that became an individual's solution to capitalism. In conclusion, all three forms of analysis have good reasons on why crime is established.