1. Conflict Theories and Deviance

2. Cultural Conflict: Miller Miller’s “Focal Concerns of the Lower Classes”: Trouble, Toughness, Smartness, Excitement, Fate, and Autonomy The special case of “street-corner groups”: Belonging and Status

3. Focal Concerns and Crime Following the cultural practices of the lower classes can automatically necessitate crime Where legal alternatives exist, the illegal alternative is often seen as providing greater returns for less of an investment The response "demanded" in certain situations often requires illegal acts

4. Sellin’s Version of Cultural Conflict Sellin argued, unlike Miller, that certain groups are haplessly treated as deviant due to clashes in cultural practices. These clashes of cultures occur through migration, changes in national borders, forced assimilation of aboriginal groups, etc. Some examples…

5. “Classic” Conflict Approaches Weber et al. and “Group-based Conflict”. –Class, Status, Party –Deviance as acts of disadvantaged groups –Labelling deviance as expressions of power Marx on law (and crime) –Law is functional for ruling class Expresses average interests of ruling class Takes care of troublemakers Obscures real power relations –Instrumental Marxists –Structural Marxists

6. Feminist Approaches The Problem: Female victimization, female criminality, and female NON-criminality The Marxist Feminist response –Women as “twice marginal” –Consequences for victimization and crime The Radical Feminist response –Patriarchy as the status quo –Consequences for victimization and crime