Within this essay the Cohen’s subcultural theory, in relation to Merton’s strain theory, Cloward and Ohlin’s delinquency and opportunity theory and Cohen’s status frustration theory, will be analysed in accordance to teenage gangs in London’s inner-city estates and the shortcomings where they fail to support these crimes.
Crime Description
London’s gang population expanding over 169 gangs with more than 5000 members (Hanna, 2007), mainly consisting of young males, are being held accountable for the increasing street violence and teenage killings. Gang members of ‘Uptown Boys’ engage in deviant behaviour and activities, like; drinking, smoking, wearing culturally rejected clothing, creating oppressive environments; and engaging in unlawful …show more content…
The majority of teenagers in the London area have no qualifications from school, no experience to get a good job and have no place to go to extinguish their ongoing boredom; consequently they join gangs to feel apart of a community, a belonging to this world, where they can gather every night and banter, or perform illegitimate means to receive a pay check (Hanna, 2007).
When one joins the ‘Uptown Boys’ gang they are promised protection, trust, and an alternative family, who provides a sense of belongingness that they don’t receive elsewhere. Although, they must conform to the gangs institutionalised means and be ready to put their life on the line for the other members (Hanna, 2007).
Cultural and subcultural …show more content…
197), collaborates with his status frustration theory; as when youths are presented with the inability to succeed in middle-class goals and ‘the strain in the ability to gain status and acceptance’ increases (Pennington, 2013, p. 3), status frustration is created. Consequently, this tends towards the formation of subcultures with their own status system. Furthermore, this can relate to Cloward and Ohlin’s delinquency and opportunity theory, as the conflict subculture is formed. This subculture, like the ‘Uptown Boys’ gang, use violence and fear “being in a gang puts fear in people, when they walk past you, they wont even look at you” (Hanna, 2007) to expand their
Crime Description
London’s gang population expanding over 169 gangs with more than 5000 members (Hanna, 2007), mainly consisting of young males, are being held accountable for the increasing street violence and teenage killings. Gang members of ‘Uptown Boys’ engage in deviant behaviour and activities, like; drinking, smoking, wearing culturally rejected clothing, creating oppressive environments; and engaging in unlawful …show more content…
The majority of teenagers in the London area have no qualifications from school, no experience to get a good job and have no place to go to extinguish their ongoing boredom; consequently they join gangs to feel apart of a community, a belonging to this world, where they can gather every night and banter, or perform illegitimate means to receive a pay check (Hanna, 2007).
When one joins the ‘Uptown Boys’ gang they are promised protection, trust, and an alternative family, who provides a sense of belongingness that they don’t receive elsewhere. Although, they must conform to the gangs institutionalised means and be ready to put their life on the line for the other members (Hanna, 2007).
Cultural and subcultural …show more content…
197), collaborates with his status frustration theory; as when youths are presented with the inability to succeed in middle-class goals and ‘the strain in the ability to gain status and acceptance’ increases (Pennington, 2013, p. 3), status frustration is created. Consequently, this tends towards the formation of subcultures with their own status system. Furthermore, this can relate to Cloward and Ohlin’s delinquency and opportunity theory, as the conflict subculture is formed. This subculture, like the ‘Uptown Boys’ gang, use violence and fear “being in a gang puts fear in people, when they walk past you, they wont even look at you” (Hanna, 2007) to expand their