Crime and deviance: Subcultural theories

Subcultural theory focus on explaining why young w/c males commit delinquent crimes in groups/gangs/subculutres.

• Cloward and Ohlin suggest type of delinquency in crime that young involved in depends on type of illegitimate opportunity structure that exists where live 
• 3 types: criminal, conflict, retreatist
• Criminal subculture: young recruited by adults into gangs
• Conflict subculture: street gangs
• Retreatist subculture: recreational drug use

• Cohen - young commit crime that has non-utilitarian nature (no obvious economic benefit)
• Status frustration - youth main goal = status, middle class attain from education and cultural capital, w/c boys denied status at school, leave school w/ few/no qualifications = low self esteem and alienation = anime A.K.A status…