Subcultural Theory (Explaining C/D)

Question 1

What is the basis of subcultural theory?

Answer 1

Merton’s idea that deviance is a collective, not individual, response to strain - added interpretivist ideas

Question 2

What do subcultures provide?

Answer 2

Distinct norms and values and an alternate opportunity structure

Question 3

What is Cohen’s subcultural theory?

Answer 3

Develops Merton’s view: delinquency is a collective response. Subcultures are REACTIVE, developing due to strain (crimes with no gain prove this).

Question 4

What does Cohen say causes subcultures?

Answer 4

The strain of the lower working class causes status frustration, espeically due to low educational achievement. Subcultures are formed allowing an alternative opportunity structure

Question 5

What is an evaluation of Cohen’s theory?

Answer 5

Box - the working class do not invert norms and values of middle class - they never actually share them.
Accepts OCS, ignores mc and uc crime

Question 6

What is Cloward and Ohlin’s subcultural theory?

Answer 6

They identify illegitimate opportunity structures, focuses on young working class males. Strain causes pressure to deviate. 
Identifies three subculture types - criminal, conflict, retratist

Question 7

What is Cloward and Ohlin’s three subculture types?

Answer 7

Criminal
Conflict
Retreatist

Question 8

What are evaluations of Cloward and Ohlin’s subc theory?

Answer 8

Assumes everyone starts with shared values and goals (Taylor, Walton and Young dispute this)
Ignores women and mc/uc crime
There is overlap between the three types of subculture

Question 9

What is Miller’s independent subcultural theory?

Answer 9

A distinct w/c subculture exists, with different norms and values. Deviance is not due to strain but due to different culture (6 focal concerns)

Question 10

What are Miller’s 6 Focal Concerns

Answer 10

Fate
Excitement
Autonomy
Smartness
Toughness
Trouble

Question 11

What did Miller say causes delinquency?

Answer 11

Young males acting out their 6 focal concerns

Question 12

What is an evaluation of Miller?

Answer 12

He does not explain the origins of focal concerns or values, ignores women’s, mc/uc crime
Marxists are critical - RSA

Question 13

What was Matza’s theory (CRITIQUES SUBCULTURAL)?

Answer 13

Delinquency is caused by drift - deviants are not committed to crime (they are transient law breakers)
We all share subterranean (deviant) values
People who commit crime are the same as everyone else, showing remorse and outrage at the crimes committed by others

Question 14

What does Matza say are used to justify crimes?

Answer 14

Techniques of neutralisation to explain or excuse their deviance

Question 15

What is an evaluation of Matza’s theory

Answer 15

Box - remorse may not be sincere, instead techniques of neutralisation are used only to avoid punishment

Question 16

What did the UK Home Office find?

Answer 16

Up to 6% of 10-19yr olds are in a gang

Question 17

What did the Met Police say in 2007

Answer 17

There were 171 gangs in London, showing the variation by locality

Question 18

What is a problem with OCS and subculture?

Answer 18

It does not record if crime is gang related (Home Office does not have an agreed universal definition of a gang)
Gang crime is underreported

Question 19

What did Marshall find?

Answer 19

3 types of deviant subculture: peer groups, gangs, organised criminal groups

Question 20

What did Why Kids Kill find?

Answer 20

Deprivation and boredom, along with fear of violence, lead to joining a gang

Question 21

What did the Joseph Rowntree Foundation find?

Answer 21

‘Territoriality’, gang life provided the positives of identity and solidarity, but increased risk of victimisation
Most gang members were boys from deprived areas ages 13 to 17

Question 22

What did Harding (2014) find?

Answer 22

‘Brand’ (street capital) has to be actively worked at; eg through crime and violence.
Poverty and deprivation leads to gangs
Girls have power too using ‘people skills’ etc

Question 23

What did the Social Justice Think Tank 2014 find?

Answer 23

Females in gangs lead ‘desperate lives’ due to rape etc, their education suffers

Question 24

What did Korem (1994) find?

Answer 24

More middle class males are joining gangs due to family problems not deprivation

Question 25

What are the two Marxist subcultural approaches?

Answer 25

Phil Cohen - skinheads and symbolic resistance

Hebdige - punks and incorporation

Question 26

What was Phil Cohen (Marxist)’s study?

Answer 26

Studied 1970s skinheads, finding their style was a symbolic reaction to the decline of working class communities

Question 27

What was Hebdige (Marxist)’s study?

Answer 27

Punks in late 1970s - puks set out to deliberately shock the establishment and society to symbolically resist the dominant cultural values of UK society at the time. However punks and other youth subcultures are short lived due to incorporation: capitalism quickly commercialises aspects of youth cultural style, stripping them of their ideological symbolism

Question 28

What did Downes find?

Answer 28

In his study of young working class males in London, no evidence of distinctive values (EV of subcultural theory)