The concept of deviant youth subcultures

Key types of deviant youth subcultures:

• Delinquent subcultures - Focus on antisocial or nuisance behaviours that are often not seriously criminal.
• Criminal subcultures - Involve acquisitive crimes aimed at gaining money or goods.
• Gangs - Centred on territorial violence, often used to punish members of other gangs who stray into their areas.
• Spectacular subcultures - Emphasise visible styles and flamboyant expressions to stand out.
• Anti-school subcultures - Can be anti-education or only anti-school.

Delinquent subcultures and juvenile delinquency

Delinquent subcultures involve young people engaging in petty crimes and antisocial behaviours.

Juvenile delinquency is the term for minor offences committed by juveniles, who are individuals under 18 years old.

Examples of delinquent behaviours

• Tagging - Spraying graffiti on public property, such as buses or trains.
• Joy-riding - Stealing and driving vehicles.
• Antisocial acts - Behaviours like drinking alcohol in public spaces or committing minor vandalism, such as damaging street furniture.

Criminal subcultures and associated offences

Criminal subcultures revolve around illegal activities aimed at acquiring money, goods, or status through crime. Young people in these groups often commit offences that provide quick gains.

Acquisitive crimes are offences committed to obtain valuables, such as theft or robbery. Young offenders are disproportionately involved in these, as statistics show their significant role in certain crime types.

Key statistics on youth crime (based on 2010 data)

• Young offenders commit over a million crimes annually.
• They are responsible for about half of all street robberies (51%) and one in three burglaries (32%).
• Approximately a fifth of violent crimes, sex offences, and shoplifting are by under-18s.
• They account for 31% of vehicle crimes and 28% of criminal damage offences.

These figures highlight how criminal subcultures contribute to overall crime rates, with young people often targeting items like mobile phones or gadgets in muggings.

Characteristics of gangs

Gangs are groups of young people involved in territorial violence that has emerged in cities like London, Manchester, and Liverpool, intensifying social issues like knife and gun violence.

According to the Centre for Social Justice, a gang is a street-based group of young people who share deviant values and norms, leading to criminal and violent activities centred on drugs and territory. Gangs are typically male (98%) and aged between 12 and 25.

Identifying features of gangs

• Hierarchies - Organised with leaders who direct activities and soldiers who carry them out.
• Basis of formation - Often linked to ethnicity or postcodes.
• Conflicts - Involved in violent disputes with rival gangs.

Recent years have seen a rise in gang-related violence in cities like London, Manchester, and Liverpool, with a sharp increase in such murders in London in 2016.

Spectacular and anti-school subcultures

Spectacular youth subcultures

Spectacular youth subcultures are highly visible groups that use distinctive styles to differentiate themselves from mainstream youth. These emerged prominently in the UK from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Examples include Teddy Boys and punks. These subcultures were seen as threats to order or morality, leading to public controversy.

While traditional spectacular subcultures have declined since the 1990s, they persist in varied ways:

• Style-based groups - Such as goths, emos, indies, or hipsters.
• Online communities - Cyber groups.
• Fan-based subcultures - Centred on music genres or football teams.
• Temporary gatherings - Groups that form for events like student protests against fees or music festivals such as Glastonbury.

Thornton (1995) documented the controversy that surrounded the acid house ravers of the 1990s.

Anti-school subcultures

Anti-school subcultures form among pupils who oppose the norms, values, and rules of their school environment. These groups reward behaviours that undermine authority, creating an alternative status system within the school.

Distinctions within anti-school subcultures:

• Anti-school but pro-education - Pupils reject a specific school's culture or rules but still value broader educational goals, such as gaining qualifications.
• Anti-education - More extreme groups that dismiss the entire purpose of education, including studying for exams or aspiring to university.