Subcultural Theories of Crime & Deviance Flashcards
Cohen - status frustration [4]
- Examined young males from low income backgrounds in the USA in 1950s
- Young males suffered from status frustration: inability to achieve success through legitimate means + educational failure
- Turned to subcultural groups to obtain status: awarded based upon an alternate status hierarchy, awarded higher status to members for deviant activities.
- Deviant activities usually involved non-utilitarian crimes: form of revenge against society
Evaluation of Cohen’s status frustration [2}
- Assumes people want to conform to societal norms & values -> however some people retreat/become ritualistic according to Merton.
- Unlikely that people are actively trying to defy society’s norms & values, more influenced by boredom or a buzz
What group did Cohen study?
Young males from low income backgrounds in the USA in 1950s
Define alternate status hierarchy
Flipping society’s norms & values, awarding recognition for deviant behaviour
Cloward & Ohlin - deviant subcultures [4]
- Suggested young w/c males more likely to react to blocked opportunities for status in society, with them gravitating towards different subcultures:
Criminal: areas with an existing criminal structure, involving mostly utilitarian crimes, w/c men employed in low-level positions
Conflict: areas w/ no organized structure of criminal behaviour, involving conflict w/ rival gangs to dissipate anger
Retreatist: those who don’t conform to social norms/subcultures -> substance abuse & petty crimes w/ limited status
Evaluation of Cloward & Ohlin’s deviant subcultures [3]
- Definitions of criminal & conflict subcultures are often blurred e.g. in drugs trade
- Assumes people subscribe to norms & values of society in the first place
- Matza: subcultures are a PHASE of young adulthood - temporary
What are criminal subcultures?
In areas with an existing structure of criminal behavior, involving mostly utilitarian crimes, young men are employed in low-level positions.
What are conflict subcultures?
Areas with no organized structure of criminal behavior - involving conflict with rival gangs to dissipate anger
What are retreatist subcultures?
Where those who don’t conform to social norms are left -> leading to substance abuse & petty theft gaining limited to no status
Miller - working-class subcultures [4]
- Suggests w/c males have independent norms & values -> they have a series of ‘focal concerns’:
- Excitement, Toughness, Smartness, Trouble, Autonomy, Fate
- These focal concerns led w/c to deviate
- E.g. Excitement leading to: drugs, fighting; fatalism preventing people from considering consequences
Evaluation of Miller’s working-class subcultures [2]
- Can be argued these characteristics are not only limited to w/c males
- Feminists argue focal concerns may be masculine values rather than w/c ones
What are Miller’s 6 focal concerns for w/c boys?
- Excitement
- Toughness
- Smartness
- Trouble
- Autonomy
- Fate
How may excitement lead to crime?
Working-class boys seeking excitement may seek taking drugs, fighting or sexual encounters.
Murray - The Underclass [4]
- Argued there’s the existance of the Underclass in society: lack socialisation into norms & values of society
- Underclass of ‘idle young men’ lacking discipline of a father figure
- Absence of fathers led to boys drifting into criminality to assert masculinity
- Gained money in shadow economies e.g. drug dealing
Evaluation of Murray’s Underclass [3]
- Influenced John Major’s ‘Back to basics’ approach
- Criticised for basing work on negative stereotypes of w/c & ethnic minority groups
- Victim blaming, suggesting poverty is a lifestyle approach
