Explaining Class Differences in Crime

• Functionalism

  Sees the law as a reflection of society's shared values, people who commit crime are therefore inadequately socialised into these values- in modern society, with the complex division of labour, different groups and classes may develop their own subcultures. Miller argues that the working class have made an independent subculture with its own distinctive norms and values which clash with mainstream culture, explaining their higher crime rate is then their conformity to this (toughness and the pursuit for excitement).
• Strain Theory

  Argues people engage in deviance when legitimate opportunities to achieve are blocked. Merton argues America's society class structure denies the working class opportunity to achieve 'money success' required for the American Dream. They then turn to illegitimate means to achieve socially accepted goals. Calling this 'innovation'- the use of new deviant means to gain wealth. Explaining the working class having a higher rate of utilitarian crime than middle class (crime for material gain).
• Subcultural Theories: Status Frustration

  Cohen sees working class youths as culturally deprived- not being socialised into mainstream, middle class culture. In education, they are at the bottom of the official status hierarchy, and this failure to achieve causes frustration. A delinquent subculture is formed, inverting mainstream rules to gain support from their peers. This theory then explains why working class appear more likely to commit non-utilitarian crime.
• Subcultural Theories

  Cloward and Ohlin build on Functionalist theories, using the concept of illegitimate opportunity structures to explain working class commit a range of different crimes. Identifying a criminal subculture in stable working class neighbourhoods which offers professional criminal career opportunities. A conflict subculture of gang violence and 'turf' wars in poor areas with a high population turnover. Retreatist 'drop out' drug subcultures, made up of those who fail in both (il)legitimate opportunity structures.
• Labelling Theory

  They don't see crime statistics as valid social facts, rather statistics of social construction of the powerful, to label the working class as more criminal. They focus on how they get labelled, and emphasise the stereotypes held by law enforcement agencies which see them as 'typical criminals' and the power of these agencies to exercise these labels (Cicourel).