Subcultural Theories

Question 1

What does crime in terms of subcultures argue?

Answer 1

Criminals are differnt to the rest of us

Question 2

Cohen

Answer 2

Crime in the w/c is a result of being unable to achieve succes via legitimate means

Critiques merton by pointing out that deviance is committed in groups and that he focusses on utilitraian crime for material gain as opposed to assault

Argues that w/c boys face culturla deprivation in the m/c school system —> leads to status frustration

W/c subcultures form which have values of spite, malice and hostility for those outside it —> they also offer positive rewards (power/status/respect)

Question 3

Critique of Cohen

Answer 3

Ignores the possibility that w/c boys never had m/c success goals, so dont view themselves as a failure

Question 4

Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 4

People commit crime because they do or dont have oppurtunity, greater pressure on the w/c to commit crime because they have less oppurtunity to achieve social goals legally

Identified 3 deviant responses to this situation

Question 5

3 deviant responses (Cloward and Ohlin)

Answer 5

Criminal subcultures: emerge in areas of rganised crime, allows young people to learn crime and deviant n&v, look up to criminal role models)

Conflict subcultures: develop in areas where there are little crime and oppurtunity to commit crime, no role models, no learning environment, cant gain success via legitimate means or crime so turn to violence to release frustration

Retreatists subcultures: cant find succes through criminal or conflict subcultures = double failures, drop outs of society so turn to drink/drugs)

Question 6

Miller

Answer 6

Deviancy is linked to w/c male culture, w/c has focal concernsn (toughness, intelligence, excitement)

Question 7

Critique of Miller

Answer 7

Gender biased

Ignores m/c crime

Question 8

Matza

Answer 8

Critique of all subcultural views; criminals arent different

DRIFT THEORY

Interviewed prisoners about crimes and feelings; expressed feelings of remorse about their crimes —> 4 key findings

Question 9

What are the 4 key findings of Matzas interviews with prisoners?

Answer 9

1. Prisoners made excuses for their crimes (Neutraisation)
2. Subterranean values (values only expressed in certain situations, emphasis on excitement/toughness, we express these through our hobbies, criminals express these through crime)
3. A mood of fatalism (want to stop feeling powerless)
4. A mood of humanism (want to stop being victim/gain some status)

Question 10

Critiques of Matza

Answer 10

Interviewer bias, criminals more liekly to lie, impositional bias

Question 11

Taylor, Walton and Young (Critique of Matza)

Answer 11

Criminals ARE different as they chose to commit crime and we didnt