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Name: Instructor’s name: Course: Date: Question 1 The architects of functionalism consider crime a social fact. Crime, just like other social facts, has the capability of exercising social constraints. Functionalism views consequences of crime as an aspect of the society that is necessary for its survival, unlike its causes. Thomson states that "crime and the subsequent punishment provides a positive social function as it establishes and maintains a social consensus about what is and isn't deviant behavior" (1). Therefore a society without crime can be regarded as unhealthy, dysfunctional and extremely repressive. Causation of crime, unlike its consequences, does not help with the survival of society but rather its demise. Causation of crime is an expression of a society that lacks regulations and that encourages individualism as well as aspirations that are unlimited. However, consequences of crime create a deviance, which helps in the creation of a social consensus within the society. The society can agree on what is to be considered wrong or right. Crime is an expression of a person's freedom, and the fall of crime rates below average is considered as a social disorder. Question 2 The theory of differential association deals with white-collar crimes and schemes. In criminology, Edwin Sunderland defines a white-collar crime as a crime that is committed by an individual of high social class and respectability during his occupation. White-collar crimes are non-violent, financially motivated and are perpetrated by government professionals and businesses. According to Cressey "The differential association theory… holds, in essence, that criminality is
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