Help!!! According to functional theory, what produces crime waves?

Question

Serious answers only please!!!

Answer 1

Emile Dukheim the French socioligist would be one source,
one interpetaion is Durkheim believed Funcationalism dominated sociolgy

Durkheim on crime
Durkheim's views on crime were a departure from conventional notions. He believed that crime is "bound up with the fundamental conditions of all social life" and serves a social function. He stated that crime implies, "not only that the way remains open to necessary change, but that in certain cases it directly proposes these changes... crime [can thus be] a useful prelude to reforms." In this sense he saw crime as being able to release certain social tensions and so have a cleansing or purging effect in society. He further stated that "the authority which the moral conscience enjoys must not be excessive; otherwise, no-one would dare to criticise it, and it would too easily congeal into an immutable form. To make progress, individual originality must be able to express itself...[even] the originality of the criminal... shall also be possible" (Durkheim, 1895).
Emile Burkheim
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Durkheim retrieved 2/15/2007

There is a pretty decent paper avaiable online
STRAIN THEORIES OF CRIME
"When people get mad, they act bad." (Robert Agnew)
http://faculty.ncwc.edu/TOConnor/301/301lect09.htm

It looks at a number of theorists, theories and comparisons and has some helpful links.

Hope this helps as a starting point at least

Answer 2

A Stadium full of Thieves at a Ball Game.

No seriously when the Society starts to break down as it has been doing for many years now, crime will increase. Take for instance. people know now that you can get MORE time for selling Pot then for murdering someone. Ever notice when there is a Natural Disaster that there those who plunder and take advantage of it. There is a all time low on peoples Morals today in Society, BUT the ones who do the crimes BLAME bad childhood, and growing up in poverty. That is NO excuse, but it works in Society today, and there is a *cause* for everything bad that happens and it is not the fault of the person who commits the crime. That IS THEIR view of it anyhow, and there are so called *experts* who testify to this in court. It is a shame indeed, and it is only going to get worse I am ashamed to say.

Answer 3

Unemployment
class divide (rich/poor)
Ineffective deterrents/punishments

Answer 4

diseases