Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin

Cloward and Ohlin

Criminologists who combined ideas from strain theory and social learning theory to explain how access to opportunities shapes delinquency

Criticism of earlier theories

Cloward and Ohlin argued that existing theories were overly deterministic and relied too heavily on strain or social pressure alone

Main question of opportunity theory

Why do people experiencing similar social pressures commit different types of deviance or sometimes commit no deviance at all?

Differential opportunity theory

The theory that deviance depends on both social strain and a person’s access to legitimate or illegitimate opportunities

Access to illegitimate means

An individual must have the knowledge connections resources and opportunity required to successfully commit a particular deviant act

White-collar crime example

A person generally needs access to a professional or business position before they can commit crimes associated with that position

Legitimate opportunities

Socially approved ways of achieving success such as education lawful employment business ownership and access to property or favourable zoning

Illegitimate opportunities

Illegal ways of achieving money or status such as organized crime theft drug dealing fraud or gang activity

Opportunity and motivation

Delinquency requires both access to an illegitimate opportunity and the willingness or desire to use it

Gang subculture typology

Cloward and Ohlin divided delinquent gangs into criminal conflict and retreatist subcultures based on their opportunities and desire for success

Criminal subculture

A gang type found where illegal opportunities are organized stable and well developed and members can learn profitable criminal skills

Characteristics of criminal subcultures

These gangs emphasize planning profit discipline established traditions and respect for territory rather than unnecessary violence

Gang as an apprenticeship

Experienced offenders teach younger members criminal techniques such as stealing goods selling stolen property or falsifying documents

Profit-oriented crime

Crime committed primarily to make money rather than to gain status through violence or destruction

Dock gang example

A gang near shipping docks may have access to valuable merchandise and organized networks for stealing and reselling those goods

Retreatist subculture

A gang type made up of individuals who lack both legitimate and illegitimate opportunities and have little desire or ability to pursue conventional success

Double failures

Members of retreatist subcultures who are considered unsuccessful in both legitimate society and organized criminal activity

Activities of retreatist gangs

These groups often focus on drug use and obtaining enough money to continue purchasing drugs rather than pursuing long-term success

Conflict subculture

A gang type that lacks access to organized criminal opportunities but whose members still strongly desire status and success

Status through violence

Conflict gang members gain recognition and respect through fighting intimidation property damage and fear

Conditions producing conflict gangs

Conflict subcultures are more likely to emerge in unstable communities where organized illegal networks and clear paths to success are unavailable

Criminal versus conflict subculture

Criminal gangs pursue profit through organized illegal opportunities while conflict gangs pursue status through violence

Criminal versus retreatist subculture

Criminal gangs possess opportunity and motivation while retreatist gangs lack both opportunity and the will or ability to succeed

Criticism of class focus

The theory concentrates on lower-class delinquent gangs while largely ignoring middle-class deviance and middle-class subcultures

Criticism of the three-part typology

Real gangs may change over time combine characteristics of several subcultures and engage in activities more complex than the three categories suggest