Differential opportunity theory is credited to Cloward and Ohlin and is a combination of strain and social disorganization principals relating to gang sustaining criminal subcultures.
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The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
True
Differential Opportunity Theory is credited to Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin and is an extension of strain theory and social disorganization theory that explains the formation of delinquent subcultures, particularly gangs. Their theory was introduced in their book Delinquency and Opportunity: A Theory of Delinquent Gangs (1960).
Explanation
Cloward and Ohlin built upon Robert Merton’s Strain Theory, which suggests that people experience strain when they cannot achieve socially approved goals through legitimate means. However, instead of just focusing on the strain that leads to criminal behavior, Cloward and Ohlin argued that the availability of illegitimate opportunities also influences whether a person engages in crime.
They combined this idea with aspects of Social Disorganization Theory, which emphasizes that certain communities lack stable institutions (such as schools, family structures, and law enforcement) to provide social order. In such disorganized environments, individuals may turn to alternative means, like criminal subcultures, to achieve their goals.
Cloward and Ohlin identified three types of delinquent subcultures based on the opportunities available:
- Criminal Subculture – Found in stable but economically disadvantaged communities where organized crime exists. Young people learn criminal skills from adult offenders (e.g., gangs involved in theft, fraud, or organized crime).
- Conflict Subculture – Found in disorganized communities where stable criminal networks are absent. Violence and gang-related conflict emerge due to frustration and competition for status.
- Retreatist Subculture – Comprised of individuals who fail in both legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures, leading them to retreat into drug use and other forms of escapism.
Conclusion
Differential Opportunity Theory highlights that access to both legitimate and illegitimate opportunities determines criminal behavior. It remains influential in criminology, particularly in understanding youth gangs and urban crime.