subcultural theories of crime

Question 1

define goals

Answer 1

idea of mainstream success

Question 2

define legitimate and illegitimate means

Answer 2

ways individuals achieve mainstream goals
legitimate = gaining qualifications
illegitimate = refers to crime

Question 3

define utilitarian and non utilitarian crime

Answer 3

utili = crime that brings success and material gains

non - utili = the opposite

Question 4

overview of subcultural theorists

Answer 4

explain C&D in terms of delinquent subcultures = groups who strongly deviate or oppose to the values of mainstream society

Question 5

how are subcultural theorists similar to Merton

Answer 5

they argue that not everyone can achieve these goals through legitimate means
they focus on crime as a lower class phenomenon

Question 6

How do subcultural theorists differ from Merton

Answer 6

They focus on group responses to strain and look at non - utilitarian crime

Question 7

What does Cohen’s study explore

Answer 7

it explores why WC boys join delinquent subcultures and why they are more likely to commit crime

Question 8

What does Cohen believe

Answer 8

everyone learns the same values and goals through socialisation (part of learning value consensus)
- This means WC boys have the same life goals as MC boys

Question 9

why are WC less likely to achieve at skl

Answer 9

cultural deprivation

Question 10

why are they more likely to turn to delinquent subcultures

Answer 10

• due to having poor attitudes to skl and ed = turn to anti subcultures/ try to use shortcuts to try and achieve mainstream success goals

Question 11

how does this link to status frustration

Answer 11

WC boys turn to delinquent subcultures because they are not getting the status they crave
- WC boys denied their status from society = turn to crime allows them to get the status they crave

Question 12

give examples of positive things in delinquent subcultures

Answer 12

vandalism , truancy

Question 13

give 2 critisms of Cohen

Answer 13

• some members could be socialised into deviant values rather than sharing the same as everyone else
• Marxists = Cohen ignores the social class inequality

Question 14

what does Cloward and Ohlin suggest

Answer 14

there is:
legitimate opportunity through gang membership
illegitimate opportunity structure = accepting social means to achieve social goals

Question 15

What do cloward and Ohlin argue

Answer 15

not everyone can easily engage in criminal activity.

• we can’t assume that people that can’t get wealthy will turn to crime
• e.g. there may be a existing subculture in some areas and some areas don’t

Question 16

what three specific subcultures did they devise

Answer 16

• criminal subculture = criminals can socialise the youth into their own criminal craeer to achieve material success
• conflict subculture = gangs organised by young people engaging in ‘turf wars’

Question 17

give one criticism of Cloward and Ohlin and evaluate what it shows

Answer 17

• most criminal gangs have elements from 1 or more subcultures
  e. g. drug use is in criminal gangs but turf wars are often linked to organised crime.
• This shows = the subcultures are not clearly defined

Question 18

Give another criticism of Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 18

• they don’t tackle broader issues into social class and gender