Popular Theories of Criminology Three Term Paper

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The functionalist approach favors more severe punishment criminal activity and the use of the legal system to punish the individual, not change society. What of the community affected by drug use, the functionalist might ask of the above example? Punish the drug dealers so that they will not be positive examples to younger individuals to improve the community. This will bring new law-abiding citizens back to the community and thus create a more affluent society and school system. In other words, society should not be an excuse to avoid punishing misdeeds. Functionalists might also stress this is true for white-collar criminals who should be punished equally -- look how Martha Stewart became a positive example as a result of her incarceration. She is a warning not to do 'dirty' stock deals and is now more motivated to give back to the community since she has experienced punishment for her disregard of the law. Human beings will always commit crimes, suggests this school, containment of crime and improvement of criminals is the goal of the justice system.

The interactionist approach suggests that both internal and external factors drive individuals to commit crimes.

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The individual is in a dialogue with society, and both influence one another. For example, the young man thinking about becoming a drug dealer might have strong religious beliefs and family influences that prevent him from entering a criminal life, or simply have a determination to succeed his peers do not. The interactionist approach thus provides examples of why individuals do not commit crimes. It is not, unlike the conflict-based approach, intent upon condemning judicial institutions and blaming the 'haves' of society. Rather, its focus is to treat the individual and society, and to understand how biology, daily life, and experience create crime and can be treated to reduce crime. For example, rather than blaming the judge who condemns the young drug dealer, the interactionist might suggest other ways to improve the community's relationship with law enforcement, such as police outreach programs and community policing, as well as encouraging community service as a way of giving offenders a different way to relate to the community in a cohesive and self-affirming fashion......

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