Subcultural strain theory

1. Robert Merton was accused of not being able to explain non-material crime. so subcultural theory explains crime in terms of subcultures.

2. Albert Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin and Walter B Miller

American Subcultural theory

1. why was American subcultural theory proposed?

2. what 3 proponents are there?

1. They may not be able to get good jobs or be economically successful.

2. Anomie in the middle-class-dominated school system. They suffer from cultural deprivation and lack the skills to achieve.

3. Education, meaning the boys suffer status frustration.

4. Non-utilitarian crime which can help working-class youths deal with their status frustration by having an outlet for this frustration and also because it helps them to gain status within their delinquent subculture.

5. Innovation

Albert Cohen - status frustration

1. Cohen looked at working-class young boys suggesting that because they fail school… what?

2. What do working-class boys face? What does this mean that they suffer from, meaning they lack?

3. What is an example of why the boys can’t achieve status by legitimate means? What does lead them to suffer from?

4. What does the theory explain, how does this help working-class youths deal with something (2 examples)?

5. Which of Merton’s adaptations does this theory link to?

status frustration

what is Albert Cohen’s theory called?

criminal, conflict and retreatism

what are Cloward and Ohlin’s 3 subculture types?

organised crime (e.g. the mafia) where career criminals can socialise youths into their own criminal career which may result in material success

what is Cloward and Ohlin’s criminal subculture?

gangs organised by young people, often based on claiming territory from other gangs in so-called turf ways

what is Cloward and Ohlin’s conflict subculture?

those who may be unable to access either legitimate or illegitimate opportunity structures may drop out altogether (as Merton said) but may do so as a group, rather than an individual. these groups may abuse drugs

what is Cloward and Ohlin’s retreatist subculture?

1. Deviant subcultural values called focal concerns

2. Excitement, toughness, smartness, trouble, autonomy, fate.

3. Paul Willis’ Learning to Labour 1977

Walter Miller - focal concerns

1. What is the lower working class socialised into?

2. What are the 6 examples of these?

3. Which study can Miller’s theory be applied to?

youths seek out excitement (particularly when not at work)

what is Miller’s excitement focal concern?

youths wish to prove that they are tough or hard

what is Miller’s toughness focal concern?

youth use wit - which may include smart remarks

what is Miller’s smartness focal concern?

this is associated with excitement and toughness, and youths may find themselves in trouble

what is Miller’s trouble focal concern?

youths wish to be independent and not reliant on others

what is Miller’s autonomy focal concern?

youths believe that their future is already decided for them, and how they act will not influence the future

what is Miller’s fate focal concern?

Howard Parker

which sociologist undertook participant observation with a group of young males in Liverpool?

1. Participant observation with a group of young males in Liverpool. 

2. He found they stole car radios to fund their lifestyle which involved heavy cannabis use, heavy drinking and fighting.

Howard Parker

1. What type of research method did this sociologist use, what was the sample?

2. What did he find (what did this involve - 3 things).

David Matza

which sociologist can be used as a criticism for subcultural theories?

1. Evidence to demonstrate a distinct set of anti-social values.

2. There were no distinctive subcultural values – but all groups in society shared a set of subterranean values.

3. Their deviant desires. Individuals use techniques of neutralisation to provide justification for deviant acts.

Criticism of subcultural theories

1. What is there little evidence of?

2. What did Matza argue?

3. What do individuals control most of the time, and what happens when these emerge?

denial of responsibility, blaming of the victim, denial of injury, condemnation of condemners, and appeal to higher loyalties.

what are the 5 examples of techniques of neutralisation?

the offender denies that it was their fault, and instead blames it on another factor, such as alcohol or drugs.

techniques of neutralisation - denial of responsibility

offender claims that the victim was in the wrong

techniques of neutralisation - blaming of the victim

offender claims that the victim was not really hurt by the crime - this is often used to justify theft from companies as opposed to individuals

techniques of neutralisation - offender claims that the denial of injury

offender claims that the role of law had to be ignored because more important issues were at stake, e.g. standing up for race/ religion/ family etc.

techniques of neutralisation - appeal to higher authorities

offender feels a sense of unfairness and being picked on for something others have done and not been punished for.

techniques of neutralisation - condemnation of others

Dominic Cummings - drove from London to Durham during the pandemic which wasn’t allowed. He drove to Barnard Castle to ‘test his eyes’ on his wife’s birthday.

what is a real-life example of the techniques of neutralisation?

Denial of responsibility and condemnation of others (Boris Johnson spoke about this asking people to stop questioning Dominic Cummings)

what examples of the techniques of neutralisation apply to Dominic Cummings?

Marxism

what theory can the techniques of neutralisation explaining Dominic Cummings be applied to?

M. Collinson

Who argues that it is not subcultural values, but masculine values that often underpins deviant behaviour?

it is not subcultural values, but masculine values that often underpins deviant behaviour

what does M. Collinson argue?

Bob Connell - hegemonic masculinity, and Bea Campbell - aggressive masculinity

which sociologists describe masculine values as contributing to crime?

crime is seductive and people engage with it because it is exciting? postmodern

what does J. Katz argue? which theory do they align with?

J. Katz

which postmodern sociologist said that crime is seductive and people engage with it because it is exciting?

people are driven by ‘edgework’ as they are attracted to flirting with danger. postmodernism

what does S. Lyung argue? which theory do they align with?

S. Lyung

which postmodern sociologist said that people are driven by ‘edgework’ as they are attracted to flirting with danger.

They lack a rational explanation of crime and deviance. Each crime is an individual act.

what does the postmodern theory say about subcultural theories of crime?