Difference Between Individual Theory And Strain Theory

Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, causes , and prevention of criminal behavior both on the individual and social levels. From study of crime several schools of thoughts were created. From these schools emerged the rational choice theory and the strain theory.The rational choice theory suggests that people choose to commit crime after weighing the pros and cons. While strain theory suggests that people have similar ideas and goal.However not everyone have the opportunities so turn to crime. While both have several difference they have the same central concept. They both implies that we choose to act on their own free will and for their own self-interest. Gary Becker was a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago.

The set goals of the society is to be rich and powerful. The lack of oppurities causes upper class people to look down on the lower class. They feel as if the lower class are lazy ,because they are not trying to make something of themselves. This is proven false as people are not able to financially support themselves. In contrast to the strain theory , the rational choice focus on the individual. Becker argues that people would rather earn money and power quicker than the norm. This particular theory does not view the social structure or the government as the problem. Rather the lack of patience of people have. Instead on working hard and honest criminals feel that crime is easier than following the norm of society. An important difference between the two is choose. Rational choice theory allows an individual the option of not committing while the strain theory leaves no chances to defer. Strain theory leaves criminals with no other way to attain their dreams. Because of their label in the eyes of the other as failure they accept that they can not follow society laws. It is possible that they feel that since they are failures they no longer feel the need to follow the rules of a system that abandon