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During the 1960' s and 1970's attempts to explain and understand social deviance, in particular juvenile delinquency, in terms of distinctive cultural patterns became commonplace. Sociologists in a pseudo scientific manner tried to divide up the population into parent class cultures, various subcultures and counter-cultures and analyse their distinctive norms, values and beliefs. Since the earliest days of gang research, such as the classic study by Thrasher (1927) of 1,313 gangs in Chicago, scholars have noted the …

…processes and the way they influence the behaviour of gang members. Overall, such a developmental approach complements the detailed understanding that prior observational and comparative research has presented about gangs members and membership. By identifying areas of convergence and divergence between modern methods of analysis and traditional subcultural theories, and understanding their relative strengths and weaknesses; the concept of subcultural theories of crime and their relevance in the present time becomes integral, rather than irrelevant.