Structural Explanations
for Delinquency
Defining Structural Theories
• Characteristic features of structural theories
– Focus on rates of crime rather than why individuals
commit crime
– Crime rates are explained in terms of the structural
features of society
• Two broad types of structural theories
– Strain Theory
– Cultural Deviance Theory
Structural Theories I:
Strain Theory
Strain Theory
Economic Inequality
Delinquency
Historical Foundation of
Strain Theory
The Legacy of Emile Durkheim
• Two themes dominate Durkheim’s
work on crime
– The normality of crime
– Crime and anomie
Robert Merton
• Robert King Merton is one of the
most influential sociologists in the
field of criminology
• At age 27, (1938) he wrote a
definitive article entitled “Social
Structure and Anomie”
• This article still serves as an anchor in
our understanding of delinquency
Social Structure and Anomie
Merton’s theory of “anomie”
stressed two structural conditions:
The interaction of these conditions
produce five adaptive responses:
Conformist
Innovator
Ritualist
Retreatist
Rebel
Goals
Means
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Differential Opportunity Theory
• This theory was developed by Richard
Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin
Lloyd Ohlin
• Agree with Merton that not everyone has equal
access to social rewards, producing strain
• However, suggest that there is also an “illegitimate”
opportunity structure with differential opportunities
there as well.
• Failure to succeed in either the legitimate and
illegitimate opportunity structure results in “double
failure.”
Differential Opportunity’s Three
Subcultural Responses
• Criminal Subculture
– Occurs in neighborhoods where there are adult criminal role
models
– Here, the delinquent youth succeeds in the illegitimate opportunity
structure
• Conflict Subculture
– Adult role models are not available for successful crime
– Delinquent youth becomes angry and engages in violent crime
• Retreatist Subculture
– Adult role models are not available for successful crime
– Rather than angry retaliation, the youth withdraws or retreats,
typically into a world of drug use.
Cohen’s Subcultural Strain
Theory
• Cohen suggests that one of the central problems in life
is conforming to social expectations.
• Since these expectations are largely determined by the
middle class, Cohen calls these “middle class
measuring rods.”
• The lower class has a much more difficult time in
conformity than the middle class.
• For lower class youth, the context for this difficulty is
typically the school.
• Lower class youth are confronted by “status
frustration,” and turn to other youth for solutions.
• For Cohen, this is the genesis of the delinquent gang.
Cohen’s Adaptive Responses to
Status Frustration
• Corner Boy Response
– Youth psychologically disengages from MC goals and accepts more humble
goals
– This is the most common lower class response
• College Boy Response
– Lower class youth accepts the MC challenge and competes for MC goals
– Involves a rupture in his relationship with LC friends, a cost
• Delinquent Subculture Response
– Involves a direct repudiation of MC values in the form of delinquency
– Characteristics of the delinquent subculture
• Non-utilitarian
• Malicious
• Negativistic