Crime and deviance- subculture theories

Question 1

What is a subculture

Answer 1

Groups that are perceived to deviate from the normative standards of the dominant culture.
Usually have their own norms and values

Question 2

What is a youth culture

Answer 2

Cultural practice of members of this age group by which they express their identities and
demonstrate their sense of belonging to a particular group of young people

Question 3

According to Cohen, WC boys failed at school resulting in what

Answer 3

Low status

Question 4

According to Cohen how to WC boys cope with feelings of low status

Answer 4

By forming subcultures and gangs with values opposite to mainstream

Question 5

Who can be used to support Cohen and why

Answer 5

Paul Willis
He found that WC class boys formed subcultures

Question 6

According to Cohen what do subcultures do to mainstream social goals

Answer 6

Invert them into something negative

Question 7

According to Cohen, delinquents value deviant or anti-social behaviour, even if if it doesn’t lead to financial reward.
True or false

Answer 7

True

Question 8

What is a non-utilitarian crime

Answer 8

One that does not have financial gain.

Question 9

Give 3x examples of non-utilitarian crimes

Answer 9

Arson
Grafiti
Speeding

Question 10

Evaluating Cohen
-Cohen’s explanation on norms and values

Answer 10

It is unlikely that criminals think that much into the crime, e.g someone who is going to vandalise a bus stop has probably not thought too much into It

Question 11

Evaluating Cohen
-Lyng and Katz

Answer 11

Argue criminals are more likely to do it for the ‘buzz’

Question 12

Evaluating Cohen
-Issues with who Cohen thinks is committing crime

Answer 12

Cohen makes very little links to anyone other than WC boys

Question 13

What is a criminal subculture

Answer 13

Organised crime (e.g mafia) where career criminals can socialise youths into
their own criminal career that might result in material success

Question 14

What is a conflict subculture

Answer 14

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

Question 15

What is a retreatist subculture

Answer 15

Those who are unable to access either legitimate opportunity structure might
drop out altogether (as Merton said) but might do so as a group rather than
individually. These groups might abuse drugs, for example.

Question 16

Who developed the illegitimate opportunity structure
(different types of subcultures)

Answer 16

Coward and Ohlin

Question 17

Evaluating Cloward and Ohlin
-classification may not be realistic

Answer 17

Claim that these groups are distinct whereas many criminal gangs may have elements of two or more of these subcultures

Question 18

Evaluating Cohen and Ohlin
-question of meritocracy

Answer 18

Do not question why in a meritocratic society described by most functionalists,
working class youths are denied access to legitimate opportunity structures

Question 19

Evaluating Cloward and Ohlin
-gender

Answer 19

Do not explain why girls do not respond in the same way as boys.

Question 20

What did Miller suggest about working class youths

Answer 20

They had a completely different set of norms and values, they have not rejected mainstream N&V they have just responded to them with failure or subcultural membership.

Question 21

Who did Miller say that had crime and deviance rooted in their values

Answer 21

The working class

Question 22

What are the focal concerns

Answer 22

WC values

Question 23

Who developed the idea of focal concerns

Answer 23

Miller

Question 24

What do focal concerns do to WC young people

Answer 24

Expose them to the dangers of crime

Question 25

What were Miller’s 6 focal concerns

Answer 25

Excitement
Toughness
Smartness
Trouble
Autonomy
Fate

Question 26

Evaluating Miller
-unclear class distinctions

Answer 26

It is unclear as to who Miller refers to as WC

Question 27

Evaluating Miller
-functionalist contradiction

Answer 27

Contradicts that classic functionalist idea that the various institutions in
society ensure social solidarity and value consensus

Question 28

Evaluating Miller
-feminist view

Answer 28

Some Feminists have pointed out that these focal concerns might be
masculine values rather than lower class ones

Question 29

What does Matza say about ‘delinquent’ values

Answer 29

That we ALL have them, most of the time people can keep this controlled, it is a learned skill.

Question 30

As we age what does Matza say we drift in and out of

Answer 30

Deviant and conformist

Question 31

When does Matza say we are more likely to commit crime

Answer 31

When we are young

Question 32

How do Matza prove their subterranean values argument

Answer 32

People seek to ‘neutralise’ their deviant acts

If people really had a different set of values (as stated by other
sociologists) when they behaved deviantly, they would believe their
deviant behaviour was appropriate/ correct

Question 33

What are the five techniques of neutralisation Matza identifies

Answer 33

Denial of responsibility

Denial of injury

Denial of the victim

Condemnation of the
condemners

Appeal to higher
loyalties

Question 34

Evaluating Matza
-issues with techniques of neutralisation

Answer 34

They may just appear as excuses

Question 35

Evaluating Matza
-issues with criminal mindset

Answer 35

A criminal can be aware of what most consider acceptable
without sharing that belief

Question 36

Evaluating Matza
-victimisation

Answer 36

Could be interpreted that victims are responsible for their victimhood