General Strain Theory

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Hay and Evans (2006) examined three General Strain Theory (GST) hypotheses regarding the relationship between violent victimization and involvement in delinquency. The first hypothesis is violent victimization should be positively related with later involvement in delinquency. Second, if GST's view of this relationship is correct, the effects of victimization on delinquency should be at least partly explained by the juvenile's level of anger. Third, if GST is to be further supported, the effects of victimization should depend in part on variables it identifies as factors that condition the effects of strain. These elements were studied on juveniles to see if their behavior was affected by family or peer group victimization. The researchers collected longitudinal data first interviewed in 1976 when the children were ages seven to eleven, with a follow-up then conducted in 1981 when respondents …show more content…

First, the authors did not consider anger as a mediating variable between victimization and delinquency. The variables that were considered in the research were peer pressure, lack of parenting skills, and low self-control of juveniles with unstable families. However, the studies show that anger, alongside to the rest of the variables, was a key factor to determine the relationship between victimization and delinquency among juveniles. The overall analyses between victimization and delinquency showed a significant increase in juvenile delinquency that researchers provided recommendations to prevent future juveniles to become delinquents. The researchers stated that rehabilitation programs in schools would help juveniles to overcome their low self-control behavior and anger issues. These programs will target their negative behavior throughout time where their deviant behavior will decrease leading to more academic achievements and socialization among

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