Subcultural Theories

Question 1

Miller

Answer 1

• deviancy as a result of clash or distinction of m/c and w/c values—> m/c as goal orientated and aligning with education etc, w/c boys expected to be street smart and stay out of trouble- find sense of belonging and status among peer groups
• w/c socialised into deviant sub cultural values named focal concerns; fate, excitement, autonomy, trouble etc

Question 2

Matza

Answer 2

• argues everyone has deviancy within them, but youth are less skilled at suppressing subterranean values (expressions of deviance or unconventional behaviour that young people are engaged in)—> exist alongside formal values eg hard work
• use techniques of neutralisation to justify particular behaviours;
  
  • denial of responsibility
  • denial of victim
  • denial of injury
  • condemnation of condemner (feel they are getting picked on when others have gotten away with same crime)
  • appeal to higher loyalities (claims law was ignored because other issues were more important)

Question 3

Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 3

• unequal access to illegitimate means resort to violence, projecting three subcultures;
  
  • criminal (stable w/c areas, long standing criminal culture)
  • conflict (socially disorganised areas, high population turnover create professional criminal network)
  • retreatists (double failure of illegitimate and legitimate- based on illegal drug use)

Question 4

Cohen

Answer 4

• crime is committed for material gain (utilitarian crime), deviant action seen as a collective phenomenon where social groups commit rather than individuals eg w/c boys face anomie in education and are culturally deprived (bottom of social hierarchy and status frustration)
• w/c boys reject mainstream m/c values and replace dominant culture goals with delinquent activities (new status hierarchy)
• youths accept mainstream goals but cultural/ material deprivation blocks legitimate means, experiencing status frustration and leads to crime