Subculture Theories

• What is Albert Cohen’s status frustration subculture theory explain?


  Sees subculture deviance as a group response to failure

  He focuses on non-utilitarian crimes (vandalism)

  He says most working class boys end up at the bottom of a schools status (regarded as thick)

  • suffer from status frustration (worthlessness)

  Subcultures offers a solution by providing them with an alternative status hierarchy

  • can win respect from peers by doing delinquent action s
  • inverts society’s values - society respects property boys gain status by vandalising it.
• What were the 3 subcultures that Cloward and Ohlin came up with?


  Criminal subcultures

  conflict subcultures

  retreatist subcultures
• Outline Criminal Subcultures


  Areas where there is a longstanding professional criminal network

  • select youths as an “apprenticeship“ and get them to commit utilitarian crimes and future criminal careers
• Outline conflict subcultures


  where the only opportunities are within street gangs

  • violence provides a release of frustration and source of status earned by winning territory from rival gangs
• Outline Retreatist Subcultures


  Dropouts who have failed both the legitimate and illegitimate opportunity

  • drug use
• What are a few limitations of subculture theories?

  Ignore crimes of the wealthy

  Assume everyone starts with mainstream goals and turns to subcultures when they fail to achieve them

  • some people may be attracted to crime for other reasons

  Actual subcultures are not as clear cut

  • show all 3 characteristics - criminal + conflict + retreatist
• What are some strengths of subculture theories?

  Show how subcultures perform a function for their members by offering solutions to the problem of failing to achieve mainstream goals legitimately

  Cloward and Ohlin show many different neighbourhoods give rise to different illegitimate authorities + subcultures