Were Cloward and Ohlin Strain Theorists? Delinquency and Opportunity Revisited

Abstract

Although Cloward and Ohlin are frequently seen as offering a variation of Merton's strain theory, I argue that their work is more accurately conceived as offering a fundamental critique of this paradigm—a critique rooted most firmly in the writings of the Chicago School. Cloward and Ohlin's central premise is that strain (or stress) theories are incomplete because they do not account for the content of the resulting adaptation. As a result, a second perspective—which they called “opportunity theory”—is needed to explain why persons choose one wayward path rather than another. I attempt to detail Cloward and Ohlin's reasoning, suggest reasons why the main point of their theorizing has often been missed, and discuss the significance of their perspective for formulating more adequate explanations of crime and deviance.