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TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > Sociology > Richard A. Cloward

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• He largely accepted Merton's concept on working class criminal deviance.
• But he believes that Merton has only explained it in terms of the how the legitimate opportunity structure varies and has failed to consider the fact that the illegitimate opportunity structure also varies.
• Believes the opportunity to be successful by illegitimate means varies as does success through legitimate means.
• Believes that those in the working class are more likely to deviate because they have less opportunity to succeed by legal means.
• 3 responses to this situation are:
  • Criminal Subculture - An environment in which the young are exposed to crime committed by the adult subculture. This subculture is mainly concerned with the 'utilitarian crime'. Crime which results in financial reward/gain.
  • Conflict Subculture - An environment where there is no adult subculture of crime for adolescents to look up to. There is little organised crime, and young criminals are 'climbing the ladder of illegitimacy' to gain success.
    • People in this category often join gangs to gain prestige in their peer group.
  • Retreatist Subculture - An environment where the person has failed to achieve success both legitimately, so they retreat. This subculture is mainly organised around illegal drug use.
  • Criticism - They assume everyone (In the states) start of with the goal of achieving wealth. Whereas there is a wider range of goals that people want to achieve.

Walter B. Miller

He explains crime in terms of the existence of a distinctive lower-class subculture.

He believes that members of the lower class strata have had different cultures/values than those in the higher strata for a long time.

He believes that their culture encourages lower-class men to break the law.

There are 3 focal concerns, which affect the lower class:

• Toughness - Concern for masculinity. Having courage when faced with physical threat. Total rejection of timidity and weakness.
• Smartness - The ability to outsmart another person. Examples- hustler, pimp, a petty thief etc.
• Excitement - A search for thrills, for stimulation of emotional being. Example-gambling, sexual adventures etc.

These three focal concerns can largely affect an adolescent's position in the eyes of their peers.

He believes delinquency is when all three focal concerns are put into practice.

Focal concerns provide something for the lower class to do outside work.

The excitement of the subculture cancels out the boredom of work.

Criticism - Miller overlooks the fact that the working class can also be influenced by other social classes.

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