In Merton’s (1938) strain theory social structures account for the criminal tendencies found in offenders. Individuals adjust to societal pressures in five distinct ways. Adaptation I, which entails conforming to both culture norms and means, is the most common. The popularity of this adaptation allows a society to function effectively. In contrast, adaptation IV is the least common and gives rise to the rejection of both cultural goals and means. Those that adopt this culture pattern are societal misfits and usually include some such persons as psychotics, psychoneurotics, chronic autists, vagrants, and chronic drunkards or drug addicts.
Sykes and Matza’s (1957) control theory postulates that acts of delinquency are generally not approved of even by the delinquents who commit such crimes. First, they don’t believe their crimes are “right”. Instead, they often show remorse or guilt when faced with the consequences of their crimes. Moreover, this show of shame shouldn’t be completely attributed to deception to pacify authorities.
Second, delinquents do have respect for law-abiding citizens (Sykes and Matza, 1957). Often if a delinquent’s offenses are shared with law-abiding people that they look up to or sports heroes perhaps they will show deep remorse. Therefore, delinquents do not hold a set of values that are in contrast with cultural norms. Sykes and Matza (1957) describe two more points, but in light of the two given here there is evidence that delinquency is not the creation of a sub-culture, because a society of those who conform cannot be overlooked.
Instead, delinquent acts are internally justified despite their repugnance to the legal system and the rest of society (Sykes and Matza, 1957). There ...
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In sum, Rosenfeld and Messner (1995), Bonger (1969), and Currie (1997) give examples of how materialism is destroying the lives of US citizens. Materialism is not a facet of liberal or conservative thought (Galston, 1991; Kirk, 1987). Moreover, in both Galston (1991) and Kirk’s (1987) articles there was no attack on capitalism and the market economy. However, the liberal idea of the need for social programs was propounded by Currie (1997), which is counter to conservative ideals. Currie (1997) also showed the need to debunk the conservative “myth” that there must always be inequalities in society. Besides these points these criminologists are really attacking capitalism and are not on a liberal or conservative platform. Furthermore, Chesney-Lind (1989) doesn’t delve into the government’s political structure based on liberal or conservative views.
Conformity is following standards and doing what everyone else, more seeing as a follower. Innovation is doing things that are not approved in society but still doing them to achieve goals. For instance, selling drugs or stealing to have money to continue achieving their goals. Ritualism is a sense of being modest and humble. Retreatism: is to reject the cultural goals and means and finding a way to escape from it. Rebellion is to reject the cultural goals and means then work to replace them. In the Merton’s strain theory one of the strength is that it is able to explain the different types of criminal and noncriminal responses to strain. Evidence that support the strain theory can be Philip Bourgeois when he said that even the most despised criminals have become successful in life and that is exactly what happened with Nathan McCall, from going to prison and then landing a career in the Washington Post, shows that anyone can live to the American Dream. Evaluation of strain theory Marxists says that lack of equality opporunties are at the heart of the Capitalist system and that there is not enough evidence to explain who will commit crimes or not. Not everyone who is lacking from oppurnities turn to crimes to
Roberts, J. V., & Grossman, M. G. (2012). Why Say Sorry When I Didn't Do It? Remorse and the Dilemma of the Wrongfully Convicted. Criminal Justice in Canada: A Reader Fourth Edition. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Nelson Education Ltd
punishment is an asset to society: it is the only punishment that fits the crime, it deters potential criminals
Majority of the citizens in the United States have always strived to obtain, what is known as the American dream. That dream usually involves having a well-paid career, a family, and having a big house in a neighborhood free from crime. According, Robert Merton in his theory of Strain theory believes that these goals are instilled at an early age, which these goals are held to all of its members in society; however the means of obtaining these goals are not equally distributed out. The means being defined as education, the concepts of hard work are ways to achieve these goals. Merton’s strain theory is an explanation of criminal behavior, according to the textbook, Adler, Mueller and Laufer (2010) defined Strain theory as “that people are law-abiding citizen, but when under great pressure will resort to crime. Disparity between goals and means provide this pressure.”(p.106) Merton goes that in a class-orientated society, opportunities to get to the top are not equally distributed. There are two important elements that in any society. The (1) cultural aspirations, or goals that people believe are worth striving for, and (2) institutionalized means to accepted ways to attain the desire ends. Inequality between goals and means fosters frustrations, which leads to strain. (Alder, Mueller, and Laufer 2010).
Agnew’s General Strain theory focuses on the type of social relationships that lead to delinquency and the motivation for delinquency. His work was based on what was once developed from
General Strain Theory was reinvented by Robert Agnew in 1992 and contributed a new perception to the present strain theory that was popularized a couple eras ago (Agnew, 1992). Classic strain theory is connected; first with Merton’s (1938), Cohen’s (1955) and Cloward and Ohlin’s (1960). Founded on Durkheim’s theory of anomie (1893), Merton industrialized his theory of deviancy inside a societal fundamental context. Merton’s interpretation on the topic is that goal-expectation inconsistencies, composed with social stratification generates strain between underprivileged societies in turn leading them to use any means necessary, such as criminal, in order to accomplish socially defined goals (Merton, 1938). Merton specified that deviance was a creation of inconsistency amongst social goals and the genuine means to attain these goals (Smith & Bohm, 2008). Merton shaped a typology of deviance contingent on how diverse human beings adjust to ethnically persuaded strain. Conferring to Merton, crime can be elucidated by the predictable socially acknowledged goals and the conceivable genuine means of accomplishing them.
Polizzi, D. (2011). Agnew’s general strain theory reconsidered: A phenomenological perspective. International Journal of Offender Therapy & Comparative Criminology, 55(7), 1051.
4 Sims, A. Barbara. 1997. "Crime, Punishment, and the American Dream: Toward a Marxist Integration." Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 34:5-24.
Furthermore can formal social control institutions such as the criminal justice system and the government provide the best aspect of producing conformity and law abiding behaviour? Hirschi’s (1969) social control theory is concerned with what effect formal institutions have on conformity in individuals and in particular, how law abiding behaviour is produced due to these institutions (Walklate, 2005). However Wilson (2007) argues that formal methods of social control such as the criminal justice system are merely there to control and segregate delinquents and offenders who have not had adequate socialisation, which is where social mores are learnt and when conformity is produced, and that an alternative form of social control such as restorative justice might produce more effective results.
Robert Merton created quite a big influence on what is known as, Strain theories. He based it off of Durkheim’s Anomie concept, but they each had their own different approach of it. Merton’s approach was towards what he called it as, “The American dream” Merton describes it as (1938), “in our competitive society, where in wealth has taken on a highly symbolic cast.” (677). He believes that society as a whole gives this dream too much of an importance. This American dream is his concept of Anomie. His model of Anomie became widely known and still one of the most cited theories.
Theories have often been developed to explain how delinquents violate social norms and still manage to maintain positive self images of themselves. Neutralization theory, developed by Gresham Sykes and David Matza in 1957 set out to do just this. Critics, however, have claims that the theory, on it’s own, is not a sufficient explanation for adolescent’s participation in crime in delinquency. It has also been claimed by critics that neutralization theory is best viewed as a components of larger theory of crime and can be incorporated into other theories such as social bond theory.
The strain theory examines the cultural goals set up by society and the institutional means of achieving that goal. An individual must decide whether to accept or reject the cultural goals and the means of achieving that goal. Every act of deviance falls into one of four categories that define how an individual handles determining and achieving goals. Innovation is the acceptance of cultural goals, but the rejection of acceptable means to achieve the goals. A drug dealer serves as an example of innovation. They have the desire to become wealthy, but turn to selling drugs as an easy form of income, rather than obtaining a regular job deemed acceptable by society. Ritualism is the rejection of cultural goals, but the acceptance of the institutional means. The individual loses sight of the actual goal, for example someone who attends a job every day, but only does the job as a routine task. Retreatism is the rejection of both the cultural goals and the institutional means, seen as the most deviant. An example would be a homeless person who is homeless by choice. Rebellion is when an individual rejects the cultural goals and institutional means replacing them with their own goal and means. Hippies are perfect examples of rebellion. The s...
Shelden, R.G., Brown, W.B., Miller, K.S., & Fritzler, R.B. (2008). Crime and criminal justice in american society. Long Grove, Illinosis: Waveland Press, INC.
Strain theories of criminal behaviour have been amongst the most important and influential in the field of criminology. Taking a societal approach, strain theories have sought to explain deficiencies in social structure that lead individuals to commit crime (Williams and McShane 2010). Strain theories operate under the premise that there is a societal consensus of values, beliefs, and goals with legitimate methods for achieving success. When individuals are denied access to legitimate methods for achieving success, the result is anomie or social strain. This often leads an individual to resort to deviant or criminal means to obtain the level of success that they are socialized to pursue. This is the basic premise of strain theory. This paper will explore the evolution of strain theories by first examining their intellectual foundations which laid the foundation for Robert Merton’s theories of anomie and strain. Merton’s strain theory will be discussed in detail including the modes of adaptation that people use when faced with societal strain. Finally, the paper will conclude with the strengths and weaknesses of Merton’s strain theory and an examination of the criminological theories and social policies it has influenced.
From a sociological perspective, explanation for criminality is found in two levels which are the subculture and the structural explanations. The sociological explanations emphasize aspects of societal arrangements that are external to the actor and compelling. A sociological explanation is concerned with how the structure of a society, institutional practices or its persisting cultural themes affect the conduct of its members. Individual differences are denied or ignored, and the explanation of the overall collective behavior is sought in the patterning of social arrangements that is considered to be both outside the actor and prior to him (Sampson, 1985).