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DELINQUENCY AND OPPORTUNITY - A THEORY OF DELINQUENT GANGS

NCJ Number
1783
Author(s)
R A CLOWARD; L E OHLIN
Date Published
1960
Length
220 pages
Annotation
DELINQUENCY CAUSES ARE EXPLORED IN TERMS OF A THEORY BY DIFFERENTIAL OPPORTUNITY SYSTEMS.
Abstract
THIS TEXT DRAWS UPON TWO PRINCIPAL THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES. THE FIRST FOCUSES UPON THE SOURCES OF PRESSURE THAT CAN LEAD TO DEVIANCE WHILE THE SECOND REGARDS THE WAYS IN WHICH FEATURES OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE REGULATE THE SELECTION AND EVOLUTION OF DEVIANT SOLUTIONS. THE TWO PERSPECTIVES RECONCEPTUALIZED AND LINKING CONCEPTS ARE USED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A THEORY OF DIFFERENTIAL OPPORTUNITY SYSTEMS.