Subcultural Strain Theories - Crime Flashcards
1
Q
Cohen and Status Frustration
A
- agrees with Merton in that crime is largely a lower class phenomenon
Criticises in the following ways: - deviance is an individual response according to Merton, he ignores the fact a lot of deviant acts are committed in or by groups, especially the young
- he focuses on utilitarian crime and largely ignores crime such as assault or vandalism which may have no economic motive
W/c boys face anomie in a m/c dominated school system
Status frustration - resolve this by rejecting mainstream m/c values and joint or form delinquent subcultures
2
Q
Alternative status hierarchy
A
- subcultures values are often spite, malice, hostility and contempt
- status is gained from going against the mainstream values e.g vandalising property, truancy
- the subcultures offers alternative status hierarchy in which to achieve
- helps to explain non economic delinquency
- assumes working class boys starts sharing these gaols in the first place and therefore never saw themselves as failures?
3
Q
Evaluation of cohen
A
- the idea that members of the delinquent subculture consciously inverts the norms and values of mainstream society has been criticised
- specifically refers to working class boys
- chose does successfully develop Mertons strain theory to provide an explanation for non utilitarian crimes
4
Q
Coward and ohlin
A
- agree working class youth defined legitimate opportunities so deviancy is a response to this
- not everyone responds in an ‘innovation’ way
- interested in why different subcultures responses occur
- Not only unequal access to legitimate opportunities, but also unequal access to illegitimate opportunities structure
- different neighbours provide different illegitimate opponents. This results in 3 types of subculture: criminal, conflict and retreatist
5
Q
Deviant subcultures
A
- criminal subcultures - provide apprenticeship for career in crime. Evident in neighbourhoods with long standing and stable criminal culture. Established a hierarchy. Selected because of appropriate aptitude and abilities. Provided with training and role models as well as opportunities
- conflict subcultures - in areas of high population turnover. High levels of social disorganisation, prevents stable professional criminal network forming. Legitimate opportunities are available in loosely organised gangs. Violence provided a release for young men’s frustration, alternative source of status, turf wars.
- retreatists subcultures - those who aspire to being a professional criminal or gang leader don’t always succeed. They have failed in both the legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structure. These people often result in retreatist subcultures based on illegal drug use.
6
Q
The Chicago school
A
- cultural transmission theory - shaw and McKay 1942 notes how some neighbourhoods develop a criminal tradition/culture transmitted from generation to generation.
- differential association theory - Sutherland 1939 interested in the process by which people become deviant. Argued deviance was a learnt behaviour through social interaction with other deviant people. Learn both criminal values and skills
- social disorganisation theory park and burgess 1925 - deviance is the product of social disorganisation. Rapus population turnover and migration create instability disruption to family and community structures occur - loss of social control = deviant behaviour develops
7
Q
Evaluation of coward and ohlin
A
- south 2014 - drug trade is a mixture of disorganised and professional criminal structures. Some professional dealers are retreatist users, therefore making a living from utilitarian crime. Coward and ohlins theory would not allow you to belong to both subcultures.
- miller 1962 - argues lower class has its own independent subculture with its own values. As this subculture does not value success in the first place its members are not frustrated by failure
- matza 1964 - most delinquents are not strongly committed to their subcultures they drift in and out of delinquency
