Functionalist Subcultural Theories - Cloward and Ohlin: Opportunity Structures

Question 1

What do Cloward and Ohlin consider about subcultures?

Answer 1

Consider why deviant subcultures commit different types of crime

Question 2

How do Cloward and Ohlin agree with Merton?

Answer 2

Agree with Merton that WC males commit deviance when the legitimate route to success is blocked

Question 3

How do Cloward and Ohlin’s views differ from Merton?

Answer 3

Differ because of the environment in which they grow up, creating three different types of subculture with different opportunities for crime

Question 4

What are Cloward and Ohlin’s three different opportunity structures?

Answer 4

Criminal subcultures

Conflict subcultures

Retreatist subcultures

Question 5

According to Cloward and Ohlin what is a criminal subculture?

Answer 5

Areas with a stable, well established criminal network which creates an illegitimate opportunity structure for young men to be socialised into a successful career in utilitarian crime

Question 6

According to Cloward and Ohlin what is a conflict subculture?

Answer 6

Areas in high population turnover so no established criminal network meaning no illegitimate opportunity structure

Leads to frustration and anger leading to non-utilitarian crimes such as violence to gain respect from their peers

Question 7

According to Cloward and Ohlin what is a retreatist subculture?

Answer 7

Failed through both legitimate and illegitimate means so are double failures creating subcultures based on illegal drug use

Question 8

What are the criticisms of Cloward and Ohlin?

Answer 8

Explain why different subcultures commit different types of crime

Not all working-class commit crime

Miller: not all the WC share the same cultural goal