Subcultural Perspective

• Cohen


  Cohen argues wc boys suffer status frustration due to cultural deprivation and a struggle to do as well as middle class. Therefore, they reject mainstream mc values and form delinquent subcultures. These are characterised by spite and hostility. They offer different means of achieving status e.g. fighting
• Cloward and Ohlin


  They argue subcultures don't all respond to Merton's theory. These can be criminal, conflict or retreatist. Each of these allow wc boys to achieve success in a different way.
• Miller


  Argues the wc has a separate subculture from mainstream culture. This group doesn't value success and is not frustrated by failure. Instead they have 'focal concerns' such as excitement, smartness, trouble, fatalism, toughness and autonomy.