subcultural theories - Cohen

• wanted to look at why people commit non-utilitarian crimes.
• his example:

  working class boys form with subcultures because they could not achieve the mainstream norms and values so had low status because they failed at school. They then form gangs/subcultures with different values where they could achieve.
• socially deviant acts are, in mainstream, looked down on however in subcultures, they are often praiseworthy.

  explains acts like vandalism and fighting as praiseworth and a way to get social status. It can also be explained by people venting their fustration.
• Cloward and Ohlin (the three subcultures that are likely to commit crime):

  • reatreatist -> people who have not been success legally or illegally
  • conflict -> criminal opportunities restricted to gang membership and rivalry
  • criminal -> professional crime networks that recruit youngsters to join them. They are likely to focus on utilitarian crimes
• strength:

  help identify how subcultures form and who may be vunerable to becoming a part of a subculture, so we can put interventions in place and change practises in areas like education, reducing the likelihood that pro-crime subcultures will form.
• weakness:

  explanation assumes everyone in a society has the same goals, to achieve status, wealth and economically successful, possible goals are not shared by everyone, so crime may be committed for other reasons, suggests some people may commit crime without a subculture, meaning other reasons for criminality are needed.