Jason Ditton 1979: crime rise can mean a number of things; As a result of new laws, acts that were previously non-criminal now become criminal. More criminal acts are discovered. There is more mass media coverage of crime. More criminal acts are committed.” (Tierney & O’Neill, 2013) Most importantly to Durkheim, he argued that a positive social function is provided by crime as it perpetuates social consensus and clarifies deviant behaviour.

“According to Durkheim, deviance actually contributes to the maintenance of order within society. It does this in several ways. First of all, deviance helps identify the moral boundaries between right and wrong in society. By doing this, it alerts people to what is expected of them. Second, deviance enhances social solidarity by bringing people together against common threat. Third, deviance has an important role to play in allowing for change within society. Finally, deviance has an important role to play in reducing societal tensions, since it allows anxieties to be produced onto those whose behaviours deviates from the norm. All in all, therefore, deviance is functional for society since its existence, by providing something for the majority to react against, enhances shared moral values, thus binding society more tightly together.” (Aggleton, 1982)

According to Durkheim’s functionalist perspective, deviance serves three positive functions which he states as, social regulation; identifies moral boundaries, social integration; a collective conscience of shared belief’s, and finally, social change; Durkheim analyses that once deviance and crime occurs, it allows laws to change and to reflect and benefit the wishes of the population.
On the contrary, it is important to assess Durkheim’s theory of anomie, and the result of society breaking down due to behaviours and expectations being unclear. Up until now I have analysed and evaluated how certain levels of crime and deviance can be beneficial to a society where all of its inter-connected parts are working together. Furthermore, this transition phase of anomie, where values and norms are no longer valid, and new ones still have not been formed to take their place. Individuals that have lived during phases of anomie typically feel disconnected from society as their values and norms no longer reflect in society. Robert Merton states that crime and deviance are a result of anomie. “Robert K. Merton’s strain theory, with its notion of the tension between societal means and social goals, and the resultant adaptions to this tension.” (Hayward, 2009) Merton argues that the strain that is places upon people is a result of a lack of jobs for people which consequents deviant behaviour and more people taking up careers