Sub-cultural theories

• Cloward and Ohlin (1961) -

  • deviance is a reaction to problems in achieving social success
  • deviants can’t achieve valued goals, eg. money
  • retreatism, rejection of social goals
  • gang culture due to social instability
• Miller (1958) *


  working class boys have their own “focal concerns” (values) - potentially leading to deviance, eg. being tough is less important to the middle class
• Ferrell (1999) - things to consider in cultural criminology

  1. interplay of culture and crime
  2. media and representation
  3. emotion as a motivator
  4. subcultures and resistance
  5. context
• Katz (1988) - seductions of crime

  crime is often pursued for its inherent culture, thrill, and excitement, rather than merely for economic gain or necessity
• Lyng (2005) - "Edgework"

  • individuals seek thrill
  • risk-taking is rooted in personal experiences
• 19th century hooligans

  • violence in urban areas
  • crime as an expression of solidarity and resistance against social norms
• Mods VS Rockers (1960s)

  • clash between subcultures in Brighton
  • moral panic by media
  • age divide, adults intimidated by youths
• Gangsta Rap (1980s)

  • shaped identities
  • music gain huge profile
  • genre reflects lived experiences of marginalised communities, eg. systematic oppression
  • N-word introduced into songs
• Presdee (2002) - 'The Carnival of Crime'

  allows individuals to express frustrations, desires, and identities

  • spectacle of crime
  • cultural significance
  • public fascination, carnival-like atmosphere
  • impact on perception
• Presdee (2002) - "Revolt Against the Mundane"

  • the tyranny of everyday life
  • desire for transgression
  • the carnival as a form of revolt
  • youth and the revolt against the Mundane
  • commodification of rebellion
• How are rules broken in Presdee's carnival of crime?

  • inversion of social norms
  • breaking rules as a form of resistance
  • ritualistic and symbolic nature of rule-breaking
• Katz and Jackson-Jacobs (2004)

  • gangs foster criminal behaviour as a source of pride and identity
  • "sense of glory", follow in footsteps of criminal parents
  • "noble pursuit", protection of your community
• Sub-cultural theories

  crime is a response to social strain
• Evaluation of Cohen’s subcultural theory

  • fails to explain why most working-class boys actually conform at school despite their educational failure
  • fails to consider working-class girls and seems to assume they are not involved in delinquency
  • overgeneralisation of the working-class