Social Structure Theory Paper

Social structure theories put emphasis on poverty, lack of education, absence of marketable skills, and subcultural values as fundamental causes of crime. There are a variety of sources of crime data that confirm that crime rates are highest in neighborhoods characterized by poverty and social disorder. Social structure is often linked together with the concept of social change, which often deals with the change of the social structure. It can be viewed that a disadvantaged economic class position is a primary cause of crime. (Siegel, L. J., 2016). Three subtypes of social structure theories can be identified: social disorganization theory, strain theory, and culture conflict theory. The social disorganization theory concentrates on the conditions within the urban environment that affects

Merton that sees crime as a function of the conflict between people’s goals and the means available to obtain them. (Siegel, L. J., 2016). The theory states that society puts pressure on individuals to achieve socially accepted goals though they lack the means, this leads to strain which may lead the individuals to commit crimes. (Merton, Robert (1938). "Social Structure and Anomie". American Sociological Review. 3 (5): 672–682.) It is also believed that these strains can also lead to negative emotions like anger and frustration. These emotions cause pressure for the individual which can result in crime. Some individuals may use crime to reduce or escape from the strain or to lessen negative emotions. One example might be if an individual is unemployed for a long time, they may turn to crime such as theft or drug dealing for a source of income. They may also seek revenge from the person or company who fired them. There are several versions of strain theory and why some are most likely to lead to crime, why others increase crime and some strained individuals don’t turn to crime at