Sociological theories of criminality: Subcultural theories

Question 1

What is a subculture?

Answer 1

A group within society that has its own set of norms and values that differ from the mainstream

Question 2

What is a status hierarchy?

Answer 2

System of stratification based on social prestige. This can be linked to occupation, lifestyle etc

Question 3

What are inverted values?

Answer 3

Turning society’s values upside down so what is bad becomes good and vice versa

Question 4

What is a non-utilitarian crime?

Answer 4

Crimes committed without financial gain

Question 5

What is a legitimate opportunity structure?

Answer 5

A way to work your way up in society while staying within the confines of the law

Question 6

What is an illegitimate opportunity structure?

Answer 6

A way to work your way up in society within a criminal or deviant network

Question 7

What is the key idea of Cohen and status frustration?

Answer 7

Crime is a group response to unequal access to society’s goal of wealth

Question 8

What is status frustration linking to Cohen and status frustration?

Answer 8

Working class boys end up at the bottom of school’s official status hierarchy and feel frustrated and worthless

Question 9

What are subcultures linking to Cohen and status frustration?

Answer 9

Subcultures offer a solution by providing an alternate status hierarchy in which society’s values are inverted – they gain status by being deviant

Question 10

What is the key idea of Cloward and Ohin and the 3 subcultures?

Answer 10

Different neighbourhoods give rise to different types of deviant subcultures

Question 11

What are criminal subcultures relating to Cloward and Ohin and the 3 subcultures?

Answer 11

Arise in areas where there is a longstanding professional criminal network. They select youths for an ‘apprenticeship’ in utilitarian crime and future criminal career

Question 12

What are conflict subcultures relating to Cloward and Ohin and the 3 subcultures?

Answer 12

Arise where the only criminal opportunities are within street gangs. Violence is a release for frustration and a source of status earned by winning territory from rival gangs

Question 13

What are retreatist subcultures relating to Cloward and Ohin and the 3 subcultures?

Answer 13

Made up of dropouts who have failed in both the legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures. Often based on drug use

Question 14

What is one strength of subcultural theories?

Answer 14

These theories show how subcultures perform a function for their members by offering solutions to the problem of failing to achieve goals legitimately

Question 15

What is a second strength of subcultural theories?

Answer 15

Cloward and Ohlin show how different types of neighbourhood give rise to different illegitimate opportunities and subcultures

Question 16

What is one limitation of subcultural theories?

Answer 16

Ignore crimes of wealthy and over-predicts working class crime

Question 17

What is a second limitation of subcultural theories?

Answer 17

Assume everyone starts with mainstream goals and turns to a subculture when they fail to achieve them, but some people don’t share those goals in the first place and may be attracted to crime for other reasons

Question 18

What is a third limitation of subcultural theories?

Answer 18

Actual subcultures are not a clear-cut as Cloward and Ohlin claim. Some show characteristics of all three types