Miller argued delinquency culture arose from lower class way of life. There was a distinction in values between the two social classes. That is m/c being achievement and social goal oriented, Miller thought that lower class parents were more concerned with ensuring that their children stayed out of trouble. Boys were expected to be tough and street-smart which gave them an incentive to join a gang. Given that their ordinary lives were boring, the excitement of crime was a welcome relief, bringing a sense of autonomy by denying the social controls. For m/c, most important institutions are family, work and school. For lower class another institution plays a crucial role - same sex peer group or gang is more important than family, work or school because it offers a sense of belonging , and a way to achieve status they can't easily achieve in mainstream society.
Miller argues that the w/c are socialised into deviant subcultural values, he called focal concerns:
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Excitement: Idea of 'having fun' is significant. Through their working lives, lower class males were effectively denied much sense of self-expression. Through Leisure activities could their lives be pleasurable.
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Toughness: Ability to handle 'trouble' requires the need for toughness - the ability to 'take care' of both yourself and mates
Autonomy: Related to this fatalistic acceptance of their lot in life is the desire for personal respect within their immediate sub-cultural groups and not to be pushed around by others
EV: His work ignores females. Many m/c individuals adopt these 'w/c focal concerns', whilst many w/c individuals choose not to adopt these 'focal concerns'; something miller fails to consider.