Subcultural Strain theories

Question 1

Sucultural strain theories deviance

Answer 1

Deviance is the product of a deliquent subculture with different values from mainstream culture

Question 2

Albert K Cohen

Answer 2

deviance is a largely lower class phenomenon
results from the inability of l/c to achieve mainstream goals by legitimate means

Question 3

Cohens criticisms of Merton

Answer 3

Merton sees deviance as an individual response and ignore most deviance is committed in groups
Focuses on utilitarian crime and ignores crimes without economic motive

Question 4

Deviance amongst working class boys

Answer 4

w/c boys face anomie in a the m/c dominated school system
suffer cultural deprivation and lack skills to achieve - unable to achieve through legitimate means leads to status frustration

Question 5

Status frustration

Answer 5

reject mainstream m/c values
join a deliquent subculture with spite hostil values
gain status through truancy and vandalism

Question 6

Function of the w/c subculture

Answer 6

create an alternative status hierarchy where the boys can achieve through illegitimate means
win status within peers

Question 7

Evaluation of status frustration

Answer 7

explains non-economic deliquency
ignores the possibility that the w/c boys never shared the same goals in the first place

Question 8

Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 8

w/c youths are denied legitimate opportunites to achieve money success and their deviance stems from the way they respond to this situation

Question 9

Different subcultures

Answer 9

different sucultures respond differently to the lack of legitimate opportunities due to unequal opportunity to illegtimate means

Question 10

Different neighbourhoods

Answer 10

provide different illegitimate opportunities for young people to learn criminal skills

Question 11

Criminal subcultures

Answer 11

neighbourhoods with a stable criminal culture and a hierarchy of adult crime
the young to associate with adult criminals who can select those with the right attitude for opportunties to employment on the crime ladder

Question 12

Conflict Subcultures

Answer 12

arise in areas of high population - high levels of social disorganisation
only illegitimate means are within loosely organised gangs
alterative source of status

Question 13

Retreatist subcultures

Answer 13

Any neighbourhood
those whole fail both legitimates means and illegitimate means

Question 14

Evaluation of Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 14

ignore crimes of the wealthy
over predicts the amount of w/c crime
assumes everyone shares the same goals