Delinquent Boys. The Culture of the Gang. By Albert K. Cohen.

Free Press, Glencoe, 111., U.S.A. $3.50.

The theme of this book is that
delinquency must be understood
as a subculture within the larger society of big cities.
persistent
Dr Cohen presents an excellent brief description of two broad
types of theory concerning delinquency, but he fails to review the

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experimental evidence. This is probably because few such studies
exist and most of these are so poor technically that they can be
largely disregarded.
Dr Cohen describes his "delinquent subculture" and attempts
to assess the evidencerelating to the properties of this subculture.
He then goes on to discuss the properties of subcultures in general
and to develop a theory of subcultures. From this he tries to show
how the delinquent subculture provides for the delinquent an
appropriate "solution" to his particular problems of adjustment.
But as Dr Cohen is well aware, theorising is necessary but not
sufficient; there is a need for research of a controlled and experi-
mental nature. He ends this interesting book with stimulating
suggestions as to how such a research programme may best be
instigated. C. M. Franks.