Subcultural theory (Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin, Miller)

Status frustration (Cohen)

Highlights the emergence of subcultures due to societal denial of status to certain groups

What did Albert k cohen argue

These individuals lacked the means to achieve success in a middle class world, experience status frustration, leading to feelings of personal failure and inadequacy.

In response, many of them reject socially acceptable mainstream values and norms.

As several boys share similar experiences, they form delinquent subcultures, where status is gained through malicious behaviour, intimidation, breaking school rules, and engaging in illegal activities

Wc youths as a whole (groups not just individuals) suffer from status frustration (realise that they cannot achieve in mc terms)

Evaluation on cohen

Paul Willis study learning to labour highlights that wc boys may not share the same ideas of status as mc boys, challenging the notion of status frustration proposed by cohen

Alternative status hierarchy assumes that the WC share the MC values it begin with, ignoring that some don’t see themselves as failures

What did Cloward and ohlin propose

The illegitimate opportunity structure influences the type of subculture that arises in response to status frustration.

The social circumstances in which wc youth live lead to three types of delinquent subcultures

Criminal subcultures (Cloward and Ohlin)

These develop in more stable wc areas with an established pattern of crime.

They involve utilitarian crimes like theft, offering a learning opportunity and career structure for aspiring young criminals as an alternative to légitimiste job opportunities.

Adult criminals also exert social control over the young to deter non-utilitarian delinquent acts such as vandalism, which might attract police attention

Conflict subcultures (Cloward and Ohlin)

Emerging in socially disorganised areas with high population turnover and a lack of social cohesion, these subcultures experience blocked or limited access to both approved and illegal means of achieving mainstream goals.

Young people express their frustration through violence or street crime, gaining status within their sub cultural peer groups.

Retreatist subcultures

Found among individuals who have failed to succeed in both mainstream society and criminal or gang cultures, retreating subcultures involve drug addiction, alcoholism, and engagement in petty theft, shoplifting, and prostitution

Evaluation for Cloward and Ohlin

Their methodology is criticised for relying solely on official statistics without criticism evaluation and for potentially exaggerating the availability of criminal opportunities for young people.

Their theory also predominantly focuses on youth crime

What did miller argue

Millers focal concerns theory suggests that the wc internalise specific values, termed focal concerns, which increase the likelihood of engaging in delinquent or deviant behaviour.

These focal concerns include seeking excitement demonstrating toughness, street smarts or wit, independence, and fatalism.

Although these values alone do not guarantee criminal behaviour, they do heighten the likelihood of non utilitarian crime or violent behaviour resulting from toughness

Some lower class youths over confirm to lower class values because of a concern to gain status within their peer group which crime and deviance will follow in this situation

How does miller differ from Cloward and Ohlin & Cohen

He rejects their views on the structural origin of crime and deviance.

He criticises the idea that delinquent subcultures emerge as a reaction to anomie.

This is because he believes that lower class youths never accept mainstream norms and values in the first place.

He therefore offers an alternative cultural view on crime and deviance

Criticism of miller

The phenomenologist Matza argues that subculture membership is often short lived, and many delinquent youths transition onto law-abiding adults.

Additionally the criticism stems from the fact that not all wc individuals engage in criminal behaviour, implying that the focal concerns of the wc may not be the sole cause of criminal behaviour