Subcultural theories

Question 1

How does subcultural theory build on and also differ from strain theory?

Answer 1

Cohen - deviance is lower classes inability to reach the goals of society

Merton only focuses on utilitarian crimes

Question 2

What does Cohen note about subcultures and crime/deviance?

Answer 2

WC boy’s face anomie in the MC education system

Leaves them at the bottom of the official status theory

Question 3

How do WC boys resolve their status frustration?

Answer 3

By rejecting mainstream MC values and turn to others in same situation, forming a subculture

Question 4

What do these new subcultures offer?

Answer 4

Illegitimate opportunity structure

Question 5

What is alternative status hierarchy?

Answer 5

Where the group can win status through delinquent acts

Question 6

What do Cloward and Ohlin say?

Answer 6

They agree with Merton - WC youths are denied legitimate opportunities - deviance stems from this

However, not everyone adapts to a lack of legitimate opportunities by turning to ‘innovation’, some resort to violence or drug use

Question 7

What is the illegitimate opportunity structure?

Answer 7

Three different subcultures:
1. Professional Criminal Subcultures (Drug gang leaders)
2. Conflict subcultures consisting of gangs (‘Snapchat’ drug dealers)
3. Retreatist subcultures consisting of dropouts (Drug users)

Question 8

Alternative Status Theory A03

Answer 8

Cohen assumes WC boys start off sharing MC goals, only to reject them when they fail, ignoring the possibility that they never shared them in the first place and so weren’t reacting to failure

Question 9

Illegitimate opportunity Structure A03

Answer 9

Cloward and Ohlin ignore crimes of the wealthy and over predict the amount of WC crime - corporate criminals have good access to legitimate opportunity structures yet still commit crimes