Subcultural theory

Cohen argued that..

Society is built upon middle class values 

-the dominant values, standards and expectations in society that we are all expected to live up to 

Ex: academic success, having stability (marriage), financial stable, high levels of aspiration, delayed gratification, conform to rules, competition, control our emotion, plan for the future 

-in school, all children are measured against middle-class standards to judge success and good behaviour 

Middle-class measuring rod

-set of values, standards, expectations that are held by the middle class and are used to judge students within school 

-working-class youth struggle to live up to those standards 

why do working class youth struggle to live up to the middle class measuring rod

-difference in socialization 

-example: someone from the middle class is going to be raised by parents that try to enhance their child’s chances of succeeding, choosing a good school, choosing their friends, helping with homework

-lower class parents are less conscious, more easy going, less demanding, less pressure, less control, don’t compare children, effort and accomplishments are different, parents may be busy working to help child with homework , may not have the knowledge or money to get a tutor, 

-thus working class youth are unable to measure up to the middle class measuring rod and achieve status in legitimate ways 

status frustration

feelings of failure, rejection, humiliation or resentment experienced by working-class youth when they are unable to achieve middle-class standards of success.

3 modes of adaptations

college boy

corner boy

delinquent boy

College boy

come to accept middle class values and try to achieve success through conventional means, try to work hard like a conformist

Corner boy

not going to succeed in middle class society, so he accepts the lower class life, doesn’t aim for middle class values because he knows he can’t reach it.

-create stability in his own way

-ex: someone from the lower class stays in their neighbour, gets a lower class job, gets married starts a family, not doing anything illegal 

Delinquent boy

• The boy who because of the status frustration, he realizes he won’t gain respect in middle class values so he becomes a part of a delinquent subculture, still striving for respected status but 

The formation of the delinquent subculture

metal conversion

reaction formation

the delinquent subculture

Mutal conversion

- when working class youth join with others who are feeling the same way and experiencing status frustration 

-as a subculture come to reject 

Reaction formation

• Do the opposite of what we truly feel 

• Ex: employee you hate but when they’re around you ask them how its going 

• To cope with their frustration, working class youth boys reject middle class values they cannot achieve and adopt opposite values to strive for 

• Ex: skipping classes, getting high, being tough, breaking rules, talking back, vandalism, graffiti 

The delinquent subculture 

has its own norms and values that reward rule-breaking and rebellion

-offers working-class youth alternative ways to gain status, respect and a sense of belonging 

The "Spirit of the gang”

non-utilitarian

Malicious

Negativism

Versatility

Short-run hedonism

Group autonomy

non-utilitarian

crimes that are committed for no material gain, no purpose to them, just because ex: vandalism, throwing eggs, beating people up

Malicious

• crimes are intentional meant to annoy people, hurt or harm people 

Negativism

• Delinquent behaviour is right because mainstream believes that its bad, intentionally rejecting the law, "I'm going to do something because you said it’s wrong” 

Versatility

• Delinquent acts amongst the subculture are versatile, diverse, a little bit of everything, no specializations

• Theft, assault, vandalism

Short-run hedonism

• Doing something in the moment for that instant gratification, maximizing pleasure 

• Skipping school, getting high, stealing, yolo 

Group autonomy

• Being loyal to the group, peer approval, only the group matters, friends and family outside the group fall to the side 

Subcultural theory

-influenced by Sutherland 

 - delinquent values are learned, shared and reinforced from peers

Influenced by Merton

-strain –> crime 

individuals commit instrumental crime when they are blocked from achieving socially approved pals through legitimate means 

Cohen

• There is another source of strain

• Delinquency and crime is a collective reaction to shared frustration 

• Working-class youth create a delinquent subculture with new values to gain the status and respect that society denies them