Subcultural theories theory

Subcultural theory’s explain deviance or group behaviour as a result of individuals joining a subculture

  1. Albert Cohen- Status Frustration

Focus- Working class boys

  • When boys cant achieve mainstream success (due to unequal access to education) they experience status frustration

  • They respond by forming delinquent subcultures with reversed norms- valuing things like truancy, vandalism, fighting

  • Deviance is collective, not just individual

Evaluation-

  • Explains not utilitarian crimes (vandalism)

  • Only explains male youth deviance

  1. Cloward and Ohlin- 3 subcultures

  • Not everyone has equal access to illegitimate opportunity structures

Types of subcultures-

  • Criminal subculture- Organised crime (drug dealing)

  • Conflict subcultures- Violence, gangs (No stable criminal networks)

  • Retreatist subcultures- Double failures- Fail in legitimate and illegitimate world (drug use)

Evaluation-

  • Explains why not all working class youths commit the same types of crime

  • Overly deterministic- Assumes everyone reacts the same way

  1. Miller- Focal concerns

These are the values that working class boys grow up with and they increase risk of deviant behaviour

Working class culture has distinct focal concerns like-

  • Toughness- Physical strength, bravery and not showing weakness

  • Smartness- Being street smart and not necessarily being academically clever

  • Trouble- Getting into fights proves masculinity

  • excitement- Seeking thrills, risk taking, partying

These values may lead to deviant behaviour- Not necessarily due to rejection of mainstream norms

Evaluation-

  • Stereotypes the working class

  • Dosen’t explain white collar crime