Subcultural theories of crime and deviance

Question 1

What did Cloward and Ohlin say about crime and deviance?

Functionalism

Answer 1

• Ilegitimate opportuntiy structure
• Deviance is a reaction to problems in achieving mainstream values
• Youths innovate if they are unable to achieve these goals

Reaction to lack of opportunities:
1) Organised crime- socialised into criminal career
2) Conflict subcultures- gangs organised by youths- involved in violence and turf wars
3) Retreatist subcultures- withdrawal from society- descend into addiction and petty crime

Question 2

What is the evaluation of Cloward and Ohlin’s study?

Functionalism

Answer 2

• Interactionists= theory only focused on w/c people, and not all youths engage in c+d, ignore role of police stereotyping
• Hobbs- difficult to highlight only 3 categories
• Marshall- uncommon in UK- most w/c youths share norms and values of parents, subcultural activities not organised, antisocial behaviour likely due to bordemn

Question 3

What did A.Cohen say about crime and deviance?

Functionalism

Answer 3

• Status frustration
• Gangs/subcultures are the product of w/c status frustration (form of innovation)
• Aware of mainstream values, but inability to meet societal expectations (looked down upon by m/c peers)
• Form gangs as they achieve status through illegitimate means (e.g: violence)

Question 4

What is the evaluation of A.Cohen’s study?

Functionalism

Answer 4

• Feminists= no discussion of female c+d
• Fail to prove that school is the main place where status frustration is demonstrated

Question 5

What did Miller say about c+d?

Functionalism

Answer 5

• W/c boys have their own values, which may lead them to delinquency:
  1) Smartness
  2) Trouble
  3) Excitement
  4) Toughness
  5) Autonomy
  6) Fate

Question 6

What is the evaluation of Miller’s study?

Functionalism

Answer 6

• Box- only looks at w/c youths, when in reality, focal concerns can apply to middle class too

Question 7

What is the functionalist evaluation of subcultural theories?

Functionalism

Answer 7

• Outdated (1950-60s)
• Generalisation of the w/c- culture is actually more varied (ethnicity, gender, religion)
• Female, middle class, middle age ignored
• Deterministic- no element of free will
• Assumes delinquency is a group activity
• Winlow- not relevant to the UK, distinctions between groups is unclear, violence= way of making money, gaining power and respect

Question 8

What did Hebdige say about crime and deviance?

Marxism

Answer 8

• ‘Smart’ style of the mods in the 1960s, and their aggression towards the rockers= expression of their desire for middle class status and a resistance against a system that gace them no oppotunities for social mobility

Question 9

What did Clarke and Cohen say about crime and deviance?

Marxism

Answer 9

• Skinheads (1970s), when faced with unemployment, expressed their pride in their w/c identity through dress, and their violent attitudes were a resistance against the threat to the traditional w/c way of life