Robert K. Merton's Strain Theory
Strain theory was originally pioneered by Robert K. Merton and it was later expanded on by Robert Agnew. Merton’s strain theory argues that individuals engage in deviant or criminal behavior when they cannot achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means (Merton, 1938). Essentially, deviance is the result of the strain that individuals feel from not being able to achieve their goals through legitimate means. Merton used the American Dream ideology to explain his theory. For example, the American dream places emphasis on money and success. In order for individuals to achieve this success they are expected to purse it through legitimate means like higher education and hard work. However, factors like poverty and discrimination block these
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Agnew argued that Merton’s strain theory was not broad enough (Agnew, 2006). He mentions that the inability to attain future economic success is only one of the several types of strains that can lead to deviant or criminal behavior (Agnew, 2006). Agnew’s theory provides three different categories of strain that can lead to crime. First, Agnew talks about the inability to achieve positively-valued goals. The second category is the loss of positively-valued stimuli. The last category Agnew talks about is the presentation of negatively-valued or aversive stimuli (Agnew, 2016). In addition, the theory further categorizes the strain types into various other categories. Some of the categories include: objective strains, subjective strains, experienced strains, vicarious strains, and anticipated strains (Agnew, 2016). Agnew solidified his theory by explain why certain types of strains are more likely than others to lead to crime. Now that strain theory has been thoroughly discussed this theory will be used to explain Joaquin Guzman Loera’s Criminal behavior. As I mentioned earlier, most of Joaquin Guzman Loera’s crimes revolve around drug trafficking. Drug trafficking is the number one crime that Joaquin Guzman Loera has committed. However, in order to be able to explain his crime through strain theory we also have to look back at his background. Joaquin Guzman Loera was born in a rural and impoverished area called La Tuna Badiraguato. This means that Loera did not have too many opportunities to achieve
Agnew argued that Merton’s strain theory was not broad enough (Agnew, 2006). He mentions that the inability to attain future economic success is only one of the several types of strains that can lead to deviant or criminal behavior (Agnew, 2006). Agnew’s theory provides three different categories of strain that can lead to crime. First, Agnew talks about the inability to achieve positively-valued goals. The second category is the loss of positively-valued stimuli. The last category Agnew talks about is the presentation of negatively-valued or aversive stimuli (Agnew, 2016). In addition, the theory further categorizes the strain types into various other categories. Some of the categories include: objective strains, subjective strains, experienced strains, vicarious strains, and anticipated strains (Agnew, 2016). Agnew solidified his theory by explain why certain types of strains are more likely than others to lead to crime. Now that strain theory has been thoroughly discussed this theory will be used to explain Joaquin Guzman Loera’s Criminal behavior. As I mentioned earlier, most of Joaquin Guzman Loera’s crimes revolve around drug trafficking. Drug trafficking is the number one crime that Joaquin Guzman Loera has committed. However, in order to be able to explain his crime through strain theory we also have to look back at his background. Joaquin Guzman Loera was born in a rural and impoverished area called La Tuna Badiraguato. This means that Loera did not have too many opportunities to achieve