Outline and Assess Subcultural Theories of Crime and Deviance

... Outline and Assess subcultural theories of crime and deviance. Consistently in the news we hear of the rise of certain subcultures, the rise of the 'hoodie culture' in teens for example. However, what exactly is a subculture, and are they really linked to crime and deviant behaviour as much as society believes? A subculture can be defined as a group of people who have their own culture, with their own norms and values, which differentiates from the larger culture to what they belong. Many sociologists have researched into the links between subcultures and crime and deviance, to try and establish whether those involved are more likely to commit criminal behaviour, as official statistics suggest. In the early 20th Century, a dramatic social change was taking place in Chicago, and in response to this emerged the University of Chicago, the first 'parent-school' of subcultural sociology. These Chicago sociologists were determined to appreciate the

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