Strain Theory: Social Structures and Crime

576 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Criminal behavior is inherited

Strain theory means that social structures within society may pressure the individual to pursue their goals legally or illegally by committing crimes. This theory is divided by two concerns such as social goals that state people in the U.S desire wealth, a high paying job that would give them a good income, material possessions such as new cars, and other life comforts. Although these goals are common to people in all economic status, this theory implies that the ability to obtain these goals is class dependent. This leads to members of lower class to be unable to achieve these goals through acceptable standards set by society which builds up a feeling of frustration and anger. The other concern is based on this previous one because since their …show more content…

This theory states that people are born as criminals because they have specific qualities such as genetics, physical and biochemical figures that have a strong impact on their deviant behavior. The first biological theory is called Physiognomy in which a person moral and behavioral trait is judge based on their outer appearance mostly their faces. Phrenology is another biological theory that focuses on the development of the brain as an important feature to describe their deviant behavior, this theory would focus on observing bumps in the head or skull to classified a criminal person. Atavism is a theory which means a reappearance of a characteristic or behavior from an ancestor after it has not been shown in a long period of time. Heredity is another biological theory that means that the criminal behavior is passed on to the next generation of family which is known as the bad seed. However a modern vision of this heredity theory is chromosome theory which includes DNA to determine gender differences. The somatotyping is the last biological theory which places human body type to be classified into 3 categories which are mesomorphs which is a person who is muscular and strong. Ectomorphs is a person who is weak and delicate and endomorphs which is a fat person , this is usually used in

Show More
Related

  • Reasons behind the White Collar Crimes of Charles Ponzi

    1874 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...riminal activity. This is because individuals become enthralled with their status in the community and want to achieve it anyway possible. This type of social structure "produces a strain toward anomie and deviant behavior. The pressure of such a social order is upon outdoing one's competitors (Thio, 2006)." Anomie strain theory is a good but difficult theory to implement. It offers "a way of constraining crime by improving the legitimate life chances of those who may otherwise make the choice to innovate defiantly (McLaughlin, 2001)."

    Read More

  • Strain Theory And Strain Theory

    1691 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to Robert Agnew, “Strain Theory is based on the idea that delinquency results when individuals are unable to achieve their goals through legitimate channels, achievement or strike out at the source of their frustration in anger”. (Agnew, R. (1985). A Revised Strain Theory of Delinquency. Oxford journals. 64(1).151-166). The norms are violated to alleviate the strain that accompanies failure. When a good look is taken at the theories the strains might not only come from peoples frustrations with acquiring “ The American Dream”, but it becomes a mixture of strains such as economic deprivation, abuse, neglect, or the loss of a loved one. However, most people that experience strains do not commit crimes.

    Read More

  • The Revival of the Strain Theory

    1288 Words  | 3 Pages

    Agnew, R. (2001). Building on the foundation of general strain theory: Specifying the types of strain most likely to lead to crime and delinquency. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 38(4), 319-361. doi: 10.1177/0022427801038004001

    Read More

  • Control Theory Vs Social Learning Theory

    165 Words  | 1 Pages

    Agnew and Passas talked about the similarities between the macrolevel of anomie and control theory, but emphasized that the micro level theory of strain should be considered separate from control theory. Agnew also compared strain theory to control theory and social learning theory. The theories differ by the type of social relations that they stress and the motivations on which they are based. While control theory rests on the premise that the breakdown of society frees the individual to commit crime, strain theory is focused on the pressure that is placed on the individual to commit crime. Social learning theory is based on the forces from a group that lead to a positive view of crime. According to strain theory, individual

    Read More

  • The Existence of Crime Culture Among Certain Social Groups

    3529 Words  | 8 Pages

    Strain Theory, posits the disjuncture between socially and sub culturally sanctioned mean and goods as the cause of criminal behavior. Albert Cohen’s thesis is that class based status frustration is the origin of subcultures. Cohen's focus is on school based achievement status. The institution of the school symbolizes middle class values for honesty, courtesy, personality, responsibility, and the middle class measuring rod. It is this environment where competition takes place for status, approval, or respect. Strain is interpersonal, located at the level of group interaction.

    Read More

  • Exploring the Intricacies of Criminology and Crime Theories

    1228 Words  | 3 Pages

    Robert Agnew proposes another aspect of strain known as General Strain Theory. This theory suggest that other sources of strain exist besides financial stressors. Strain may also result from other aspects of life such as loss of a significant other or other traumatic or life altering events. It’s these events that trigger reactions in some individuals who may have displayed a history of pro-social behavior to consider criminal activity as an outlet from the pressures of these external

    Read More

  • The Characteristics And Strengths Of General Strain Theory

    1482 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are many theories to choose from and I decided to choose and focus on general strain theory. I chose general strain theory because I believe this particular theory applies to a lot of people across the United States, especially those people who are in the middle class and below. First I am going to explain what general strain theory is and what Agnew finds most important about it. Secondly, what micro level components are used in this theory and how they affect people. Lastly, I am going to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of general strain theory. Not everyone falls victim to general strain theory because not everyone is in the same social and economical predicament. A lot of people are unfortunate to go through these strains/stressors of life and it all comes down to how one chooses to deal with the hand life dealt them.

    Read More

  • Objective Strain Theory: Understanding The Root Causes Of Crime

    1118 Words  | 3 Pages

    Theoretical Background During the past decades, various criminologists developed different theories in an attempt to explain the causes of crime within the society. In return, they were successful, as of today it was adopted or accepted, indeed all of theories explain the root causes of crime. One of these theories is anomie or strain theory which originally argues that the lower class frustration to higher class causes crime (Merton, 1938) in an attempt to explain why the majority of the people who commits crime are lower class. In 1985 Robert Agnew a sociologist come to an interest of studying the theory and finds a potential for the theory in explaining several causes of crime in society, but due to its limitation he developed and reformulated

    Read More

  • The Criminal Justice Theory: The Causes Of Criminology

    1066 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Biological theory is related to the body function of living things. The explanations of this theory is to assume that some people are just down right “born criminals”, who has the body-structure-related separate from non-criminals. For more clearness of this approach I will use Cesare Lombroso as an example. In the 19th Century, Italian doctor Cesare Lombroso drew on the ideas of Charles Darwin that criminals were evolutionary throwbacks' referring that they were adapted to things slowly changing overtime. He suggested that their brains were mal-developed or not fully developed. In his review of prisoners, he found that they shared some common physical attributes, such as sloping foreheads and moving back chins. In doing so, Lombroso suggested that involvement in crime was a product of the biological theory, and that there are characteristics related to the theory, which is study of living things and the qualities of living things, which are related to the body function of living things. His explanation of this can be compared to

    Read More

  • Social Disorganisation Theory And Strain Theory

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    In classic strain theory it is said that, Classic strain theory focuses on that type of strain involving the inability to achieve success or gain a middle class status. General Strain theory focuses on a broad range of strains, including the inability to achieve a variety of goals, the loss of valued possessions, and negative treatment by others. General Strain Theory has been applied to a range of topics, including the explanation of gender, race/ethnicity, age, community, and societal differences in crime

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Structural Functionalism And Conflict Theory

    1021 Words  | 3 Pages

    Strain Theory developed by Robert K. Merton suggests that society places a sociological pressure on people to achieve certain goals appropriate or acceptable to the society. However, not all individuals in the society have the same opportunity or means to accomplish these goals. An example would be the goals of financial security in one’s lifetime in which some feel pressured and go to illegal lengths to have the goal satisfied because the pressure is too great. This could lead to burglary or selling drugs on the street for an individual who does not have the equal means to accomplish financial security. I would be the conformity individual because I am one who will accomplish everything by culturally approved means. I get very anxious

    Read More

  • Positivism And Anomie-Strain Theory

    1114 Words  | 3 Pages

    Positivists focus on the causes of deviance and seek ways to detect it before any deviant behaviors occurs and possibly stop them. In their search for causes of deviant behavior, positivists focus primarily on biological and psychological factors. One of the leading theories supporting Positivism is the Anomie-Strain theory. Anomie-Strain theory is a theory by Robert Merton that focuses on finding the causes of deviant behavior. It states that people commit deviant behaviors when they are strained into “anomie”. Anomie is a term coined by Merton that refers to the absence of social norm held in place by society, which he says is the failure of society to control its members. Merton states that when a person is in “anomie’, they are more likely to engage in deviant behavior as they no long have any moral compass because the norms of society are no longer in place. According to Merton, the primary way people fall into anomie occurs because of the goal-means gap. The goal-means gap is the idea that the goals a person sets for themselves are unattainable due to the lack of a means to achieve them. Merton says that society encourages individuals to engage in deviant activates in order to achieve their goals. Using Merton’s ideas as a spring board, Albert Cohen proposed his own Anomie-Strain theory. Cohen says in his theory that people descend into anomie because of ‘status frustration’. Status frustration is the feeling that a person feels when they cannot achieve their goals through legitimate means due to lack of opportunity provided to them because of the goal-means

    Read More

  • Strain Theories of Criminal Behaviour

    2001 Words  | 5 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Essay On Juvenile Delinquency

    810 Words  | 2 Pages

    Biological theories are based on the idea that juvenile criminal activity is not something they decide, but rather something in a child’s genes. Palmerin (2012) states that Cesar Lombroso is credited for creating the major biological theory called Positivism. His theory states that individuals whom grow up committing crimes have inherited biochemical and genetic factors (as cited in Champion, 2004). Furthermore, he states that criminals tend to have certain physical features that are considered a predisposition to commit crimes, such as sloping foreheads or large earlobes (Champion, 2004).

    Read More

  • Strain Theory And Strain Theory

    995 Words  | 2 Pages

    Juvenile delinquency is a prevalent issue that society faces, regardless if the community is primitive or modern, rich or poor, and so on. Juveniles are juveniles under 18 years of age. Delinquent acts range from something as minor as being out past curfew to more serious acts like physical assaults. Strain Theory suggests juvenile delinquency is at its highest during ages 10-17, because of several factors: desire autonomy, financially dependency upon their guardians, and often experience a lack of social support from family and friends. In the past, there have been multiple theories that examined juvenile delinquency from a biological or social lens. For example, Lombroso’s biological theory claimed that kids resulted in committing acts for

    Read More

More about Strain Theory: Social Structures and Crime

Open Document