Literature Review On Anomie Theory

CHAPTER TWO

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter is divided into two sections. The first section discusses the theoretical framework for the study and the second section discusses the literature review.

2.1 Theoretical Framework

This section considers the theories that aid a better understanding of the causes of kidnapping; these include Anomie theory (Merton, 1957), Aggressive-Frustration Theory (John Dollard, 1939) and Routine Activities Theory (Cohen and Felson, 1979).

2.1.1 Anomie Theory

An Anomie theory has been used to describe a social context in which the moral order has been broken down for an individual or group in a society. An anomic is a condition in which society provides little moral guidance to individuals

The theory was expanded and modified by Leonard Berkowitz and others in 1962 as revealed by Nnamani (2015:4). The main claim of this theory is that as people with different beliefs, values and expectations live in different parts of the world and interact in the social system, hostility and frustration occurs.

This theory believes that when individuals or groups are denied what they feel they desire legitimately, they feel disappointed which will lead to frustration and violent behaviour. The violent behaviour will be directed at those they perceive are responsible directly or indirectly for such denial. It is also upholds that where expectation does not meet attainment, people tend to confront those they feel are responsible for not attaining the expected issues or benefits. The non-attainment of the expectation leads to anger, frustration and aggressive behaviour or violence. The theory argues that aggression as propounded by this theory is not as a result of natural or biological instinct but due to anger, frustration and aggressive behaviour that lead to violence. In other words, the aggression is as a result of the fact that the people or groups are getting less than what they think they

At its heart is the idea that in the absence of effective controls, offenders will prey upon attractive targets. To have a crime, a motivated offender must come to the same place as an attractive target. For personal crimes such as kidnapping, the target is a person. In addition, there are controllers whose presence can prevent crime. If the controllers are absent, or present but powerless and corrupt, crime is possible (Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1: A graphical model of the Routine Activity Theory

Source: Felson and Cohen (1979 cited Ukwayi (2013).

Applying this theory to this study from Cohen and Felson theoretical framework reveals that the kidnappers constitute an offender; the suitable targets are the people that are attractive to the potential kidnappers. Today everybody is the target of the kidnappers. The absence or weak of capable guardian such as the police or other law enforcement agencies to prevent the crime from occurring. The Nigeria Police Force seems hapless in dealing with the situation of kidnapping, as the force is not adequately equipped to combat the men¬ace (Olajide,