Cloward and Ohlin - Illegitimate Opportunity Structure

Which theory impacted Cloward and Ohlin’s ideas?

Strain Theory - Merton

What did Cloward and Ohlin attempt to explain through their theory?

Why some subcultures focused on certain types of deviance?

• Why some subcultures centered on vandalism and violence

• Why other subcultures centered on utilitarian crime

How does Cloward and Ohlin explain the differences within subcultures?

Access to Illegitimate Opportunity Subcultures

• just as the opportunity to be successful through legal/legitimate means varies

• opportunities to be successfully illegitimately

Illegitimate Opportunity Structure: Criminal - Cloward and Ohlin

Thriving local criminal subculture with successful role models

• ‘work their way up the ladder’

• attracted to system because people with the same background as them have become successful in a criminal career

• often recruited when young - if they prove to be dedicated - given opportunities to take their criminal careers further

Illegitimate Opportunity Structure: Conflict - Cloward and Ohlin

No local criminal subculture to provide a career opportunity - but territorial gangs exist

• recruit or press-gang young people in the neighborhood into service

• often engage in violence against one another - way of achieving ‘respect’ for young people

Substitute for qualifications or a well-paid job, either in mainstream employment or criminal organisations

Illegitimate Opportunity Structure: Retreatist - Cloward and Ohlin

Tends to occur where individuals have no opportunity or ability to engage in either of the other two subcultural or to achieve success in legitimate ways

• ‘double failures’ - result is a retreat into alcohol or drugs

• dropped out of society

Cloward and Ohlin: Illegitimate Opportunity Structure - Weaknesses (Conflict criticism)

• Only discusses working-class crime (Marxist)

• Predominantly about males (Feminist)

Cloward and Ohlin: Illegitimate Opportunity Structure - Weaknesses

Most criminal gangs would have elements of two or more of these subcultures