Focal concerns theory

In criminology, the focal concerns theory, posited in 1962 by Walter B. Miller, attempts to explain the behavior of "members of adolescent street corner groups in lower class communities" as concern for six focal concerns: trouble, toughness, smartness, excitement, fate, autonomy.[1] These focal concerns are described as "areas or issues which command widespread and persistent attention and a high degree of emotional involvement."[2] Miller's theory, as it is often referred to, views these criminogenic influences as a learned part of the lower-class subculture values.[3] In essence, the theory suggests that delinquency is in fact part of the learned cultural values rather than an anomic reaction to unattainable goals.

Further reading

See also

References

  1. Gennaro F. Vito, Jeffrey R. Maahs, Ronald M. Holmes (2006). Criminology: theory, research, and policy (2, illustrated ed.). Jones & Bartlett Publishers. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-7637-3001-7.
  2. B. Miller, Walter (1958). "Lower-class Culture as a Generating Milieu of Gang Delinquency". Journal of Social Issues. 14: 5–19. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1958.tb01413.x.
  3. Hagan, Frank E. (2007). Introduction to Criminology: Theories, Methods, and Criminal Behavior (6, illustrated ed.). SAGE. ISBN 978-1-4129-5365-8.

Bibliography

External links

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