Durkheim
The purpose of punishment is to uphold social solidarity and
reinforce shared values; reaffirm boundaries.
Punishment allows for an expression of society’s moral outrage.
Through the rituals of justice and order, such as public trials and
punishment, society’s shared values are reaffirmed, which
creates greater unity.
Solidarity
Solidarity is from similarity between
individuals in traditional societies, and
creates a strong collective conscience.
Therefore when someone commits a crime, people
become vengeful and punishment was typically more
Crime and
severe and cruel. (Retributive justice)
Deviance -
Punishment in
Functionalism In modern We are less integrated with a weaker collective
society… conscience. Solidarity comes from interdependency
(where we all rely on one another).
Crime damages this and therefore
punishment aims to restore things to
Evaluation how they were before the crime.
(Restorative justice)
However, punishments are
still often more about
retribution than restoring
social order and a sense of
social well being.
The purpose of punishment is to uphold social solidarity and
reinforce shared values; reaffirm boundaries.
Punishment allows for an expression of society’s moral outrage.
Through the rituals of justice and order, such as public trials and
punishment, society’s shared values are reaffirmed, which
creates greater unity.
Solidarity
Solidarity is from similarity between
individuals in traditional societies, and
creates a strong collective conscience.
Therefore when someone commits a crime, people
become vengeful and punishment was typically more
Crime and
severe and cruel. (Retributive justice)
Deviance -
Punishment in
Functionalism In modern We are less integrated with a weaker collective
society… conscience. Solidarity comes from interdependency
(where we all rely on one another).
Crime damages this and therefore
punishment aims to restore things to
Evaluation how they were before the crime.
(Restorative justice)
However, punishments are
still often more about
retribution than restoring
social order and a sense of
social well being.
