Criminal Subculture
Definition
A delinquent subculture that forms where a stable illegitimate opportunity structure exists, channelling youth into organised, income-generating crime such as theft rings and racketeering.
Related terms
- Conflict Subculture
- A delinquent subculture that forms where neither legitimate nor stable illegitimate opportunity exists, producing gang violence as a substitute route to status...
- Differential Opportunity Structure
- The idea that access to illegitimate means of achieving success, like access to legitimate means, varies systematically by neighbourhood and social position...
- Double Failure
- Cloward and Ohlin's term for someone who fails to reach success goals through both the legitimate opportunity structure and the illegitimate one,...
- Illegitimate Means
- The skills, contacts, and criminal infrastructure, such as an established fencing network or an organised numbers racket, needed to succeed at crime,...
- Retreatist Subculture
- A delinquent subculture built around drug use and withdrawal, made up of double failures who cannot succeed through legitimate means or gain...