Criminology

Campbell is reasonable when she states that small and open groups formed by girls are less likely to engage in criminal gang behavior.  Girls in such groups may be more interested in developing bonds with other group members, as they share their intimate secrets with them, thereby strengthening their emotional attachments with one another.  However, it cannot be surmised how long such bonds may last.  After all, girls who do not believe in achieving goals that society expects them to achieve  such as the retreatists in Mertons theory  are not expected to meet societal expectations in any way.  These expectations include development of healthy, lasting bonds.  Moreover, groups tend to establish norms, even if they are deviant retreatist girls are expected to flee all norms sooner or later. 
   
It is further possible that small, open groups of girls would eventually start discussing how to become good, as openness tends to accompany honesty.  All those who do not agree with the idea of turning good are expected to leave their groups at that point.  Through Cohens theoretical framework, it is understandable that bad girls cannot turn good for the reason that they do not perceive themselves as capable of or good enough to achieve positive, long term goals.  Organizational behavior theorists discuss self-efficacy as an essential component of high achievement.  This component of achievement is useful in the comprehension of bad girls who do not engage in criminal behavior even if they have opted to completely disregard societal expectations.