Walter B. Miller's Focal Concern Theory
In 1958 Walter B. Miller came up with a theory in order to explain the subculture in low-income neighborhood. The theory was called the focal concerns theory, and was divided into six different concepts that Miller thought explained the subculture in Low-income neighborhoods. In the movie Carlito’s way we are shown how some scenes correlate to Miller’s Focal concern theory, and explain the actions that the main character Carlito takes. Trouble, Toughness, smartness, fate, and autonomy are five out of the six focal concerns theory that Miller used in explaining the development of the subculture that existed in low-income neighborhoods, and the reasons why youth in these neighborhoods acted in the fashion that they did (Miller, W. B. 1958, pg.7). …show more content…
Miller’s article “Lower class culture as a generating milieu of gang delinquency” the focal concerns theory explain what each of the six focal concerns focuses on. Trouble in the focal concerns theory refers to the behavior of acting in a matter that brings conflict for the person with people in authority, such as police officer, as well as those in the middle class of society (Miller, W. B. 1958, pg.8). For men trouble tends to have a major focus on fighting, “sexual adventures with women”, and for women it represents sexual involvement that yield unwanted consequences, such as an unplanned pregnancy (Miller, W. B. 1958,
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1898 Words | 8 PagesExactly how culture impacts people depends on the environment of the culture as it can create deviant behavior. This theory is supported by Elijah Andersons’ Code of the Streets as, according to Anderson (2000), he indicates that crime is the result of varying cultural influences on the people within the community, specifically urban communities (p. 11). What better way to depict the effects of culture on a community than by comparing it to the community of Crenshaw? Crenshaw is filled with deviant behavior and this behavior has caused the people within the community to acclimate to it. Not only is the community filled with immoral behavior, but it is an area that is filled with struggling ethnic minorities.
Summary Of The Code Of The Streets By Elijah Anderson
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In The Epilogue Of Evicted, By Matthew Desmond
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Gangs In The Outsiders
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Summary Of Code Of The Streets By Elijah Anderson
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Violence In Mary Moore's Talk About The Street Culture
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