Matza and Sykes - Criticism of Subcultural Theories

What does Matza argue about people who commit deviant acts?

Deviant Acts don’t fully accept a different value system

• often drift between conforming to society’s rules and breaking them

What does Matza believe about people commit deviant acts?

They feel guilt or shame about their behaviour but use techniques of neutralisation to justify it so they can avoid feeling responsible

Conventional Values

Mainstream norms and values

• values we display as a result of the roles we perform

Subterranean Values

Private Values

• usually controlled but we all hold them and do them

Exist at the margins of society - present in all societies

What are the 3 examples of Subterranean Values?

• Greed

• Sexuality

• Aggression

Often associated with spontaneity, rebellion, and self-expression

Matza:Techniques of Neutralisation - Denial of Responsibility

Believes that it wasn’t their fault

Matza:Techniques of Neutralisation - Denial of Victim

Victim deserved it

Matza:Techniques of Neutralisation - Denial of Injury

Did not mean to harm someone

Matza:Techniques of Neutralisation - Condemnation of Condemners

They aren’t the only ones that do that

Matza:Techniques of Neutralisation - Appeal to Higher Loyalities

Loyalty to others - moral standards

What does Matza say about ‘youth’?

‘no mans land’

• youth is a period of drift

• still working out who they are have less control over their lives than adults do

What happens once young people gain a sense of stability according to Matza?

They drift out of crime and conform to society’s norms and rules