subcultural theories of crime and deviance

Question 1

Cohen - lower working class boys delinquency

Answer 1

• suggests lower w/c boys want the same things out of life and want the same success as members of mainstream culture
• they cannot achieve this due to their position (eg cultural deprivation) which causes status frustration
• they deal with this by rejecting mainstream norms for success as they cannot succeed this way and instead adopt new norms and values in which they can gain success and status
• in delinquent subculture they can gain success through breaking mainstream society’s taboos (stealing, vandalism etc)

Question 2

strengths of Cohen lower w/c boys delinquency theory

Answer 2

• useful explaining gang culture in USA and UK (eg the ‘bloods’ and ‘crips’)