Functionlism Subcultural Theories Flashcards
What 3 things did Cohen say about working class youths?
They internalise mainstream norms and values through socialisation
They face blocked opportunities
They suffer from status frustration
What is status frustration?
The realisation that you cannot achieve middle class terms
Why do working class youths completely reject mainstream norms and values?
Because of the status frustration that they feel
What do delinquent subcultures provide?
An alternative means of gaining status and striking back at an unequal social system
Why did Cloward and Ohlin criticise cohens ideas?
Cohen failed to explain the variety of subcultural forms that erm she put of the social structure
Criminal subcultures
Emerge when working class youths have access to adult criminal networks
Conflict subcultures
Emerge when working class youths lack access to adult criminal networks but live in an environment which values defence of territory and violence
Retreatist subcultures
Emerge when working class youths are denied access to criminal or conflict subcultures
Why did miller reject cohen and cloward and ohlins ideas?
He criticised the idea that delinquent subcultures emerge as a reaction to anomie
What did miller believe about lower class youths?
They never accept mainstream norms and values in the first place
How does miller see lower class youths as being socialised?
Into a set of lower class values or focal concerns
Strengths on subcultural theories?
Served to generate a great deal of subsequent research
Willis - deviant anti-school cultures are the product of working class youths
Morrison - suggests that blocked opportunities lead to feelings of resentment and revenge
Weaknesses of subcultural theories?
Too readily accept official statistics - don’t explain white collar crime
Empey - delinquent boys cross between the distinct subcultural divides which C&O identify
Matza - over estimate juvenile delinquency
