A new type of sociobiological theory tries to apply positivist philosophy to street crime. The general argument here is that it requires stamina to be a criminal so those people with the most stamina will be more likely to commit crimes. This would include the young and men. Other biological theories look for links between higher rates of aggression in men to levels of testosterone or chromosomal abnormality. Functionalism Functionalist theories focus on the preservation of social order.
Deviance helps maintain social cohesion and the collective conscious .
A. Functional Deviance 1. Deviance Contributes to Social Order Durkheim emphasized the importance of deviance in society as a tool for boundary maintenance . The media, who reports on deviance and the accompanying punishment, serve to educate the public by restating society's rules. Punishing violators reaffirms the rightness of society and its rules. The individual is called before the group to account for his or her deviance.