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Anomic and Subcultural TheoriesSociological TheoriesCrime causation is in the “social environments”Societal conditions, groups, social disorganization are units of analysisTheories today:Anomie/StrainSubculturalAnomie Theory: DurkheimEmile Durkheim- French socologistCrime is normal, healthy part of society“Suicide” (1897) – Anomic SuicideStrain is episodicInability to regulate the GOALS of societyAnomie= “normlessness”When society is not in equilibrium, norms break down; discontentDurkheim’s ModelStresses & Strains  Anomie GOALS not regulated  Suicide, DevianceMurton’s Theory of AnomieRobert Murton (1910-2003)“Americanized” Durkheim’s ideasClassic anomie/strain theoryAmerica = anomic societyOpportunity for success not equally distributedMore emphasis in culture on goals than accepted means to achieve golasStrain: Inability to regulate means by which people get golasMurton’s Model of Anomie/StrainAnomie Strain Means not regulated Ritualists, Retreatists, Rebels, or InnovatorsMost criminal behavior: InnovatorsExtensions of MurtonInstitutional Anomic Theory (IAT)Messner and Rosenfeld (1995)- “Crime and the American Dream”American Dream: Conductive to crime“the end justifies the means”material successeconomic goals powerful- others weakenedeconomic goals infiltrate the family, schoolCritiques of Murton and IATOnly lower SES crimes explainedDo we really have goals which everyone agrees on?Non-Utilitarian Crimes?Other societies have similar goals, but much less crimeGeneral Strain Theory (GST)Robert Agnew (1990s)Individual levelsOther strains lead to crime, not just failure to achieve material goalsGoals being blockedAdding negative stimuliRemoving positive stimuliStrain: anger, frustrationAgnew’s Model:Strains: Goals blocked (adding neg stim or removing pos stim)  anger/frustration coping strategies emotional coping, cognitive, behavioral (crime)Subcultural Theories of DelinquenciesSubcultural Theories:Motivation for crime lies in the ideas and values in small subcultures that conflict with dominant cultureCommitting crime, conforming to values and expectations of subculturesInfluenced heavily by anomie/strains theoryMostly interested in lower class adolescent boy crime (gangs)Strain/Subcultural TheoriesAlbert Cohen (1955) “Delinquent Boys”Goals can also be about status and prestigeLow SES boys go to school and realize they can’t competeSTRAINForm groups/gangs and “flip” middle class valuesAggression becomes accepted, valuedDifferential Opportunity TheoryCloward and Ohlin (1960)Low SES kids: big discrepancy between what they want and what they can getFeel angry at the injustice of thisForm gangs to deal with frustration, to get goalsType of gang depends on opportunities in the areaFeb. 23rd Notes 03/01/2011Anomic and Subcultural TheoriesSociological Theories- Crime causation is in the “social environments”- Societal conditions, groups, social disorganization are units of analysisTheories today:- Anomie/Strain- SubculturalAnomie Theory: DurkheimEmile Durkheim- French socologist- Crime is normal, healthy part of society- “Suicide” (1897) – Anomic Suicide- Strain is episodico Inability to regulate the GOALS of society- Anomie= “normlessness”o When society is not in equilibrium, norms break down; discontentDurkheim’s Model- Stresses & Strains  Anomie GOALS not regulated  Suicide, DevianceMurton’s Theory of Anomie- Robert Murton (1910-2003)- “Americanized” Durkheim’s ideas- Classic anomie/strain theory- America = anomic society- Opportunity for success not equally distributed- More emphasis in culture on goals than accepted means to achieve golas- Strain: Inability to regulate means by which people get golasMurton’s Model of Anomie/Strain- Anomie Strain Means not regulated Ritualists, Retreatists, Rebels, or Innovators- Most criminal behavior: InnovatorsExtensions of Murton- Institutional Anomic Theory (IAT)- Messner and Rosenfeld (1995)- “Crime and the American Dream”- American Dream: Conductive to crime- “the end justifies the means”- material success- economic goals powerful- others weakened- economic goals infiltrate the family, schoolCritiques of Murton and IAT- Only lower SES crimes explained- Do we really have goals which everyone agrees on?- Non-Utilitarian Crimes?- Other societies have similar goals, but much less crimeGeneral Strain Theory (GST)- Robert Agnew (1990s)- Individual levels- Other strains lead to crime, not just failure to achieve material goalso Goals being blockedo Adding negative stimulio Removing positive stimuli- Strain: anger, frustrationAgnew’s Model:- Strains: Goals blocked (adding neg stim or removing pos stim)  anger/frustration coping strategies emotional coping, cognitive, behavioral (crime)Subcultural Theories of DelinquenciesSubcultural Theories:- Motivation for crime lies in the ideas and values in small subculturesthat conflict with dominant culture- Committing crime, conforming to values and expectations of subcultures- Influenced heavily by anomie/strains theory- Mostly interested in lower class adolescent boy crime (gangs)Strain/Subcultural Theories- Albert Cohen (1955) “Delinquent Boys”- Goals can also be about status and prestige- Low SES boys go to school and realize they can’t competeSTRAIN- Form groups/gangs and “flip” middle class values- Aggression becomes accepted, valuedDifferential Opportunity Theory- Cloward and Ohlin (1960)- Low SES kids: big discrepancy between what they want and what they can get- Feel angry at the injustice of this- Form gangs to deal with frustration, to get goals- Type of gang depends on opportunities in the


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UMD CCJS 105 - Anomic and Subcultural Theories

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