Law and Government: Criminology. What do you think is a) the principal strength and b) the principal weakness of subcultural theories?

Subcultural theories, and in particular the later(prenominal) work of Cohen, have lam to answer some of the unrequited questions of earlier theories such as Anomie. In doing so, stand incultural theories have some(prenominal) introduced and expanded on some(prenominal) ideas, allowing their sensation intensity levels and weaknesses to be noned. As always, the weaknesses of the theories have been subject to a good deal ofttimes comment, but this should not trim down from the fact that subcultural theories be a duly respected reach of criminology. The principal strength of subcultural theories is their learning of group involvement in law-breaking. Shaw and MacKay put furiousness on crime being a group activity, universal in particular peer groups, whilst Sutherland and Cressey, in their Differential standoff Theory, supposition of crime not as an impulse, nor as a repartee to sparing strain, but as a rejoinder to others or so you. Cohen, in direct response to Mertons Theory of Anomie, centred his studies on novel delinquency, due to its non-compliance. He believed novel delinquency to be a counter culture as opposed to a sub culture, that reliable segments of youth observe rejected by society, and respond, not man-to-manly, but as a group. Other criminology theories seem to detract from the quality of both(prenominal) peers and peer extort in delinquency.

Merton and Curries economic theories depict crime as an individual response to monetary need, and as such received much criticism. Likewise, modern catching theories tump over an individuals surroundings no wideness in their temper and level of deviance. I believe that certain crime is inherently a group activity, not simply amongst juvenile delinquents as discussed by Cohen, but obviously in like manner in crimes connected by two or to a greater extent adults. Even where a crime cannot be said to be connected by a group, the workable importance of learnt behaviour and values, as stressed by both Shaw... If you want to get a full essay, format it on our website: Orderessay

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