Cohen

• Deviant Subcultural theories

  Norms/values deviate from those of the rest of society
• Deviant subcultures

  • Help members to relieve 'strain' proposed by Merton and to gain status and success in illegal ways
• Cohen's view on deviant subcultures

  A group response to strain and inequality, committing crimes as a way to vent status frustration, a feeling of worthlessness
• Example of a working class boy forming a deviant subculture

  • Feels worthless after being called dumb in school, frustrated with obstacles, commits crime to impress gangs and be accepted
• Cloward and Ohlin's 3 distinct subcultures

  • Retreatist - people who have not been successful legally or illegally
  • Conflict - criminal opportunities restricted to gang membership and rivalry
  • Criminal - professional crime networks that recruit youngsters to join them. Likely to focus on financial crimes.
• Cloward and Ohlin identified 3 distinct subcultures
• How did Cohen develop Merton’s strain theory?

  To address why people commit crimes and  non-utilitarian crimes
• Why do working class boys form subcultures?

  They often fail at school so they have a low status. As a result this formed gangs with values that had opposing mainstream values.
• Why do some people criticise Cohen’s theory?

  His suggestions that members of these delinquent subcultures consciously invert the norms and values of mainstream society

  His theory is limited in terms of research