Theoretical constructs around the criminal subculture

Abstract

The article delves into criminological thought regarding the criminal subculture, exploring its key concepts and criticisms of its theoretical consolidation. The criminal subculture, according to Albert Cohen, Richard Cloward, and Lloyd Ohlin, represents the culture of a group belonging to a lower social class, where values and norms differ from those conventionally established by society. This perspective views the subculture as a set of alternative norms that challenge regular norms, highlighting the discrepancy of this group against the dominant culture. 

However, this line of thought focuses on disadvantaged individuals exposed to various forms of violence and vulnerabilities, without addressing why those who follow the dominant culture also engage in criminal activities. This approach raises the need to better understand the motivations and circumstances that lead different social groups, both those adhering to the subculture and those following the dominant culture, to engage in criminal behaviors. 

In conclusion, the labeling approach revolutionized criminology by shifting the focus to social reactions to what is labeled as deviant. Rooted in symbolic interactionism, which posits that society is formed through interaction and language, this approach challenges the idea that deviance causes social control, arguing that it is the other way around: social control generates deviance. Deviation is defined as breaking social norms, and social control is the society's reactions to deviance. 

Not everything deviant is a crime, but every crime is a form of deviation. Deviation arises from the creation of rules by social groups, often in conflict, seeking to impose these rules in the name of the common good. Professionals such as prosecutors or police apply these rules, often labeling individuals as deviants through stereotypes. These individuals are treated as deviants, being confined to institutions such as prisons or asylums, impacting their social interaction. Additionally, there is social exclusion that limits interaction with those considered deviant.