Final answer:
The statement from Kai Erickson's article, indicating that institutions fighting deviance actually perpetuate it, is TRUE. This view aligns with functionalist perspectives, particularly those of Émile Durkheim,
Step-by-step explanation:
According to functionalist Kai Erickson's article "Notes on the Sociology of Deviance,", institutions intended to fight deviance actually operate to perpetuate it.
The statement is TRUE. Functionalist thinkers, like Kai Erickson, build upon Émile Durkheim's ideas that deviance plays a crucial role in society. Durkheim argues that deviance is necessary as it challenges prevailing societal norms and reaffirms current social norms when punished, contributing to social order.
Durkheim's analogy of society to a living organism highlights that each part, including deviant behavior, is necessary for the whole to function.
Functionalists also view government and politics as methods to enforce norms and regulate conflict, yet they emphasize maintaining societal consensus and order.
Policies based on social disorganization theory can counteract forces that contribute to deviance by offering social programs that cultivate basic skills, thus potentially lessening deviance rates.