Structural Strain Theory
If 100 people are released from prison, and 75 of them relapse back into their previous criminal behavior, is the prison system sufficient? (Page 10. No Place For Kids- The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration.) Based off of Robert Merton’s structural strain theory, Kohlberg's morality scale, tragedy of the commons, and Walter Mischel's theory of delayed gratification, it can be proved that the United States Criminal Justice system is flawed.
In the theory of structural strain, there two overall categories: institutionalised means and cultural goals, and five smaller categories: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. (Structural Strain Theory, 06-14-16). Structural strain is the pressure of society negatively …show more content…
(Page 10. No Place For Kids- The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration.) Tragedy of the commons is the misuse of a common resource. Having that many people return to jail after being RELEASED is an example of tragedy of the commons. It's not the that prisoners are wasting resources but that the criminal justice system is wasting them. “...An average cost of $66,000 to $88,000 to incarcerate a young person in a juvenile correction facility for 9-12 months.” If the average recidivism rate for youth is 70-80% with in two or three years, spending $66,000 to $88,000 for 9-12 months is an example of tragedy of the commons. Spending that much money, just to have the offender return back to jail is a waste of common resources. The purpose of jail is to prevent crime from reoccurring. If more than half of the prisoners end up returning back to jail, the resources aren't being used properly. __ % of people who are incarcerated had a life of poverty. A way WE can fix the tragedy of the commons is by providing education in the prisons about non-violent communication and the education needed to earn a job, live efficiently, and abide by the
In the theory of structural strain, there two overall categories: institutionalised means and cultural goals, and five smaller categories: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. (Structural Strain Theory, 06-14-16). Structural strain is the pressure of society negatively …show more content…
(Page 10. No Place For Kids- The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration.) Tragedy of the commons is the misuse of a common resource. Having that many people return to jail after being RELEASED is an example of tragedy of the commons. It's not the that prisoners are wasting resources but that the criminal justice system is wasting them. “...An average cost of $66,000 to $88,000 to incarcerate a young person in a juvenile correction facility for 9-12 months.” If the average recidivism rate for youth is 70-80% with in two or three years, spending $66,000 to $88,000 for 9-12 months is an example of tragedy of the commons. Spending that much money, just to have the offender return back to jail is a waste of common resources. The purpose of jail is to prevent crime from reoccurring. If more than half of the prisoners end up returning back to jail, the resources aren't being used properly. __ % of people who are incarcerated had a life of poverty. A way WE can fix the tragedy of the commons is by providing education in the prisons about non-violent communication and the education needed to earn a job, live efficiently, and abide by the