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Main assumptions of Strain Theory and its contributions to understanding crime

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Main assumptions of Strain Theory and its contributions to understanding crime
Main assumptions of Strain Theory and its contributions to understanding crime

In general, a group of theories, called Strain Theory, contends that most people in society share the same goals of achieving wealth and success. But in every society there is division between lower class and their wealthier counterparts. Those people from lower class don’t have the same opportunities that those from upper class do. As a result, lower class gets frustrated because they are not able to achieve upper class’s goals. That feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining their goals, or in other words – strain, leads to crime.
Following essay looked at society’s role in Crime regarding different variations of Strain Theory: Anomie Theory, General Strain Theory, Institutional Anomie Theory and few Subculture Theories and tried to find an answer for questions on possibility to have a society free of crime or does the immigrations have an impact on crime itself. Strain Theory observed on how to become criminal and looked at how criminal behaviour is learned in social situations. Not only questions concerned within functionalism and positivism relation like usefulness of crime was important to Strain theorists but also they tried to kept criminal impulses in check.

The context in which Strain Theory emerged and developed can be divided into different types of Strain Theory: Anomie Theory, GST, Institutional Anomie Theory and Subculture Theories over three mains periods of time .The first period was a result of rise of sociology as an science and academic discipline which occurred from the middle of the nineteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth. Majority of sociologist presumed that there existed a consensus of values and norms across a whole society. The major role of the social scientist was to intervene in shaping the direction of social development by providing positive solutions to identified social problems. One of the methods adopted



References: Agnew, R. (1992). ‘Foundation for a General Strain Theory of Crime and Delinquency.’ Criminology 30:47-87. 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 38:319-361. Agnew, R. (2001). “An Overview of General Strain Theory.” In Explaining Criminals and Crime, edited by Raymond Paternoster and Ronet Bachman. Los Angeles: Roxbury. Cloward, Richard A., and Lloyd E. Ohlin. (1960). ‘ Delinquency and opportunity: A theory of delinquent gangs’. Vol. 90559. New York: Free Press. Cohen, Albert K. (1955). Delinquent Boys. New York: Free Press. Durkheim, E. (1979). ‘Suicide: A Study in Sociology’. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London. Merton, Robert K. (1938). ‘Social structure and anomie.’ American Sociological Review 3:672-682. Piquero, Nicole Leeper and Miriam D. Sealock. (2000). “Generalizing General Strain Theory: An Examination of an Offending Population.” Justice Quarterly 17:449-84. Rosenfeld, Richard, and Steven F. Messner. (2006). The origins, nature, and prospects of institutional-anomie theory. In The essential criminology reader. Edited by Stuart Henry and Mark M. Lanier. Boulder, CO: Westview. Sutherland, Edwin Hardin. (1983). ‘White collar crime: The uncut version.’ Eds. Gilbert Geis, and Colin Goff. Vol. 58. New Haven: Yale University Press. Weatherburn, Don, and Bronwyn Lind. (2001). ‘Delinquent-prone communities’. Cambridge University Press. White, Rob. Haines, Fiona. (2008). ‘Crime & Criminology’. Oxford University Press. UK. White, R. & Wyn, J. (2008). ‘Youth and Society: Exploring the Social Dynamics of Youth Experience’. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

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