Functionalist View Of The Law Making Process - 1349 Words

Sociologists have many perspectives when it comes to the examination of our laws. Three out of many theories of lawmaking processes are the Rationalistic model, Functionalistic view, and Conflict perspective. Rationalistic models view laws as a rational way of increasing protection for members of society from crimes which are â€Å"socially injurious† (Vago 2012). Functionalist view look at where the ideas behind the laws come from and describes laws as â€Å"re-institutionalized customs†, where lawmaking is a reiteration of customs (Vago 2012). Conflict perspective describe laws as value the opinions of the elite, instill unequal access to economic goods which upkeep the social economical groups, basically keeps the elite on top (Vago 2012). The three theories are all similar but different at the same time. In my opinion, conflict theories captures the reality of law making process. The Functionalist view of making laws deal mainly with how laws come about. They are pr imarily created to restate the customs or rules and norms that make society function normally (Vago 2012). This theory makes laws seem more democratically decided because the people (at least the majority) within the society deem what the customs are. The idea behind this theory is that society is comprised of mainly harmonious social groups that ensure harmony through common belief. Basic values are not the culprit in dysfunctionality, such as conflict, and even though these conflicts exist, it doesn’t reflect theShow MoreRelatedStructural Functionalism And Structural Theory782 Words   |  4 PagesStructural functionalism is a macro level approach to study sociology (Browning, 2015). Structural functionalists believe social consensus is what holds society together; social consensus being a condition in which most members of the society agree on what would be good for everyone. Structural functionalists view society as a web of social structures, each structure being functi onal to fulfill it’s own needs, but dependent on all other structures for survival (Vago, 2012). The Criminal Justice systemRead MoreMarxists theory to the sociological understanding of crime and deviance913 Words   |  4 Pagessociety, meaning that it looks at the large-scale societal structure for answers about how society works and operates and explores crime and deviance in relation to classes within a capitalist society. Marxists claim that laws do not reflect a value consensus, instead laws and law enforcement benefits the rich (protection of private property), and discriminate the poor which brings about social class reproduction, the working class are criminalised for their crimes but the criminal just system areRead MoreFunctionalist View on Crime1262 Words   |  5 Pageshow they are enforced. Deviance and social norms vary greatly among different societies, communities and times. Crime is considered an activity which breaks the immediate laws of the society an individual is a part of. The nature that determines whether and act is one of crime or deviance is clearly outlined by a set of formal laws which individuals are expected to follow. Deviance on the other hand is behavior that is recognized as violating expected societal rules and norms. It something more thanRead MoreSociological Imagination, Social Construction Of Reality And Socialization902 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant in modern society. For instance, in politics, it is very important to hold back personal beliefs when it comes to law-making. A politician who refrains from applying her own moral beliefs to her political agenda in attempt to create a better society is practicing the use of sociological imagination. She removes her own personal views of the world in order to see society’s views as a whole, and acts accordingly. In other words, sociological imagination is â€Å"taking the role of the other† to gainRead MoreNon Deviant And Conforming Acts943 Words   |  4 Pages Starting the day one is born, their life choices and path begin to form through the process of socialization. Beginning with their family, environment, social class, race, and many other factors, ideas and opinions are generated that will affect their future actions. The actions displayed will be judged by the society that surrounds the person and will be generalized as either a conforming or deviant act. When one conforms they are following society’s norms and face little opposition, but whenRead MoreMarijuana is a Social Problem Essay example976 Words   |  4 PagesEncyclopedia). Today we know that the levels of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana called tetrahydrocannabinol, in marijuana are four to ten times more than they were in the 60s. We also know that THC had shown negative affects in the learning process. Its destructive to the learning performance, memory, and attention span. It has insidious side effects including lung damage and cancer risks. It also impairs ability to work, drive, and make clear decisions, not to mention, the lack of motivationRead MoreThe European Court Of Justice1846 Words   |  8 Pagesits citizens who are able to directly invoke a European provision before a European Court through ‘direct effect’. Further EU law has supremacy over the national laws in individual Member States that are in contradiction with EU law. However different regional integration theories have proposed different ‘roles’ of the European Court of Justice. The neo-functionalist approach suggests that the ECJ and other supranational institutions such as the commission, the European Parliament are ‘enginesRead MoreGang Affiliation and Social Factors Underlying their Deviant Behavior1460 Words   |  6 Pagesfollowing theories to interpret and analyze this cause of deviance. Functionalist theory/perspective The Functionalist theory through the studies of Durkheim, states that society is comprised of a greater network of parts that contributes to its stability. The functionalist theory believes that even a person who contributes nothing positive to society is still an important part of a society that shouldnt be replaced. Functionalists see crime and deviance resulting from structural tensions and a lackRead MoreThe Persecution Of The Jewish People1105 Words   |  5 Pagesrather than the theories of the ‘moderate functionalists ‘, that reason that the persecution of the Jewish people was a progression of radical policy ,of an entire group of people, due to the perceived failings of the Nazis previous racial policies. Section 2 Introduction - Nazi Regime began in 1933 when Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany - 6 million Jews had been killed by the end of the Nazi regime - Both Intentionalists and Functionalists have there valid scholarly and ethical pointsRead MoreFunctionalist View Of The Family1473 Words   |  6 Pagesand education, the family providing for its members, the young socialised to norms and values, cultures would not exist. In the absence of this human society would cease (Haralambos and Holborn, 2008). 83 Evaluate the functionalist view of the family by referring to for example, the view that the family has lost functions/role due to structural differentiation. Parsons (1955) studied the modern american family in the 1950’s. He saw two basic functions, primary socialisation of the children, the family