Crime: Subcultural strain theories.

Question 1

Name the 2 ways in which Cohen criticises Merton.

Answer 1

• Merton sees deviance as an individual response to strain and ignores that too much deviance is committed in or by groups, especially among the young.
• Merton focuses on utilarian crime committed for material gain, eg theft or fraud - ignores crime eg assault or vandalism which may have no economic motive.

Question 2

Cohen focuses on working class boys, explain how he applies their educational success to crime.

Answer 2

As a result of being unable to achieve status by legitimate means (education) the boys suffer status frustration. They resolve this frustration by rejecting middle-class values and turn to the other boys in the same situation, resulting in them joining or forming a delinquent subculture.

Question 3

Explain Cloward and Ohlin’s criminal subculture.

Answer 3

The criminal subculture provide youths with an apprenticeship for a career in utilarian crime. They arise only in neighbourhoods with a longstanding and stable criminal culture with an established hierarchy of professional adult crime.

Question 4

In Cloward and Ohlin’s criminal subcultures, what does this allow for the younger boys?

Answer 4

It allows the young to associate with adult criminals. This can provide them with training and rolemodels.

Question 5

Cloward and Ohlin’s 3 subcultures?

Answer 5

• Criminal subcultures
• Conflict subcultures
• Retreatist subcultures