The Functions of Crime

The video explores Emile Durkheim's perspective on crime, suggesting that crime is not only inevitable in modern societies but also functional. Durkheim argues that crime can clarify social boundaries, stimulate social change, and strengthen social cohesion. Through examples like zero tolerance policing and debates on euthanasia, the video illustrates how crime and punishment can serve as moral instruction and catalysts for reform. Durkheim's ideas challenge the traditional view of crime as merely a threat to social order, highlighting its complex role in society.

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