NCJ Number
20019
Journal
NORDISK TIDSSKRIFT FOR KRIMINALVIDENSKAB Volume: 60 Issue: 3-4 Dated: (JULY-DECEMBER 1972) Pages: 311-324
Date Published
1972
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A CRITIQUE AND DISCUSSION OF FUNCTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL APPROACHES IN CRIMINOLOGY.
Abstract
THE FUNCTIONAL APPROACH MAY IMPLY A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIETY, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE OBJECT OF THE STUDY IS TO SEE HOW A SUBSTRUCTURE SUCH AS THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM STRENGTHENS OR WEAKENS THE ENTIRE SOCIAL STRUCTURE. HOWEVER, THE WEAKNESS OF THIS APPROACH LIES IN THE UNDERLYING IDEOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION THAT THE NEED FOR INTEGRATION AND STABILIZATION IS COMMON TO ALL INTEREST GROUPS. THE STRUCTURAL APPROACH, ON THE OTHER HAND, PRESUPPOSES NO FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS. THE PURPOSE IS TO STUDY THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE VARIOUS SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY PRODUCE DEVIANCY. TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF THE STRUCTURAL APPROACH IN CRIMINOLOGY WOULD BE A STUDY OF HOW STRUCTURAL RATIONALIZATION CAN CREATE UNEMPLOYMENT - ECONOMIC DISTRESS - AND POSSIBLY CRIME. FOLLOWING A DISCUSSION OF THE TWO THEORETICAL APPROACHES AND SOME OF THE BASIC THEORETICAL WORKS ON WESTERN SOCIOLOGY, A NUMBER OF NORWEGIAN STUDIES ARE USED TO ILLUSTRATE THE TWO APPROACHES. THE NEED FOR FURTHER STUDIES OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM, BASED ON THE STRUCTURAL APPROACH, IS STRESSED. --IN NORWEGIAN