functionalist subcultural theories Flashcards
what do the theories explain
?
-why juvenile delinquents commit crimes
-they explain responses of those who are unable to achieve societies shared goals
what did albert cohen : status frustration?
-working class youth cannot again goals they desire due to deprivation and failure in education
-experience “status frustration”. they do not achieve status in legitimate ways leg from their teachers through educational success
-try to achieve status through deviant behaviours
-instead of working hard they steal
REVENGE= large part of this is vandalism, not for financial gain but revenge
how can we evaluate albert cohen?
-assumes w/c boys start off as sharing middle class goals only to reject them
-doesn’t consider that they may have never shared goals in the first place
-doesn’t explain female delinquency
what does cloward and ohlin: three working class delinquent subcultures?
-argue people respond in diff ways to the lack of opportunities the identified 3 diff subcultures
what are the three working class delinquent subcultures?
criminal, conflict, retreatist subcultures
what is a criminal subculture?
-crimes like this have a goal of making money, they occur in more stable working class areas w adult crime
-allows the younger gen to learn illegal ways of making money and move up the criminal career ladder, graduating to more serious crimes
what is conflict subcultures?
-socially disorganised areas w lack of social cohesion
e.g violence, gangs and warfare
- young ppl express their frustration at this situation through street crime and can obtain through success in these values
-possible explanation for why gangs in the Uk emerge in run down estates and inner city areas
what is retreatist subculture?
- lower class youth who are double failures they can’t succeed in some mainstream society or in a criminal, conflict subculture
-drug addiction, alcoholism - need money to buy drugs and alcohol
what is walter miller focal concerns?
-focal concerns= refers to the values of the working class
-e.g values of toughness, masculinity, smartness, autonomy , trouble and search for excitement and thrills
what does walter miller believe focal concerns lead to?
-believe these values lead to w/c into crime e.g toughness and masculinity lead to fighting
-similar to sugar and study in education e.g values of immediate gratification and fatalism
what did sutherland: differential association say?
-suggests that through interaction w/others individuals team values, attitudes techniques and motivation for criminal behaviour
-often hear the phrase “ got in with a bad crowd”
- our friendship groups can profoundly affect criminality , especially during adolescence
how can we evaluate functional subculture theories?
-assuming that society has universal norms and values
-only explains w/c delinquency not crime against woman e,g rape
-rely on official crime statistics - they may not be accurate
-not all delinquent youth behaviour goes into adulthood
-MATZA= sub cultural theories make the delinquent out to be different from other people. actually, they are ordinary, feel at rage at certain crimes
what was hirschi: control theory?
-social orders based on shared norms and values
-tries to explain why ppl do not commit deviant acts rather than why they do
-if social bonds are broken then people may turn to crime
what are the 4 social bonds?
-belief= people share same moral beliefs e.g respect
-commitment= people are commited to convential activites e,g getting an ED, having a job and family; dont want to risk this thru crime
-involvment= people are involved w community, church, sports, clubs so no opporutnity for crime
-attachment= people attached to fmaily and those around them; sensitive to their needs and wishes
how can we evaluate hirschi control theory?
-doesnt explain why everyone with weak social bonds turns to crime
-doesnt explain the vaerity of forms of crime and deviance
-doesnt recognise even having tight social bonds can make someone deviant e.g middle class succesful workers who take cocaine.
