Cloward And Ohlin Theory On Crime

Question 1

What do cloward and ohlin argue?

Answer 1

• agree with Merton: w/c are dined the opportunity - not all innovate
• argue that there are three types of delinquent subcultures

Question 2

What are the 3 types of delinquent subcultures?

Answer 2

1. Criminal subcultures
2. Conflict subcultures
3. Retreating subcultures

Question 3

What is criminal subcultures? And the a02 study?

Answer 3

• emerge in areas where there’s an established pattern of organised adult crime
• the young are more exposed to criminal sills an deviant values
• mainly concerned with utilitarian crimes

A02: Venkatesh: Gang leader for the day, in Chicago

Question 4

What are conflict subcultures? And the A02?

Answer 4

• emerge in areas where young people have little opportunity for access to illegitimate opportunity structures
• such areas have a high turnover of population and lack unity and cohesiveness - no stable structure to this subculture
• the response to this is often gang violence/warfare

A02: Winlow: w/c conflict subcultures in Sunderland due to easy access

Question 5

What are retreating subcultures? And the A02?

Answer 5

• product of double failure
• w/c boys fail to be successful legitimately and illegitimately
• couldn’t access either of the subcultures
• they retreat and turn to drug and alcohol abuse

A02: south - criminal, conflict and retreats is evident in UK society

Question 6

Strengths of Cloward and Ohlin theory?

Answer 6

Helps us to understand how strain can lead to different delinquent subcultures

Question 7

Weakness of cloward and ohlin theory?

Answer 7

• matza: claims that most delinquents are’nt strongly committed to their subculture strain theories, but drift in and out