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Control Theory Of Crime

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Recommended: Psychological theories behind why criminal acts occur

Strain Theory
In accordance to experiencing strain or stress, people may become upset and sometimes engage in crime as a result to either cease or reduce the stress they are experiencing. For example they may steal to reduce financial stress or violence as revenge to those that have wronged them.
There are two major types of strain that contribute to crime
Others that prevent you from achieving your goals others that take things you value or present negative stimuli
Money is probably the most centralised goal in the United States. All people are given a “chance” to earn a lot of money so that they are encouraged to work hard. Furthermore money is required to buy many of life’s necessities including basic needs such as food and water. Many people …show more content…

In positive reinforcement, the behavior results in something good, it could be such things as money, the “high from drugs, attention from parents, peer approval or an increase in social status. In negative reinforcement, the behavior results in the removal of a punisher. A dissatisfying entity being removed
Control Theory
Unlike strain and social learning theorists, control theorists take crime for granted. They argue that all people have needs and desires that are more easily satisfied through crime than through legal channels.Crime in their eyes requires no special explanation: it is often the most expedient way to get what one wants. Rather than explaining why people engage in crime, we need to explain why they do not.

In my opinion, the best way to consider why people engage in crime is the strain theory. I have had many personal experienced with friends that “joke” about robbing a bank or selling drugs to make up for their debts and financial deficits. But sometimes it wasn 't a joke. I believe that this theory fits the reason why people commit certain crimes most of the

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Those three types of strains will increase the likelihood of experiencing negative emotions in proportion to the duration of stress. The links between strain and crime is that

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The strain theory implies that crime may occur because of the stress or frustration placed on people when

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Within the past couple of decades, criminologists have developed different criminological theories that apply to the social behaviors and decisions of criminals. One of the earliest theories developed regarding criminality is the rational choice theory, in which describes the rationalization of determining if the rewards from committing the crime outweigh the consequences. In Scarver’s case, his decision to engage in criminal activities outweighed the potential consequences, or the other alternatives if he did not engage in such criminal activities. In addition to the rational choice theory, Scarver’s criminality can be related to the social disorganization theory, which describes the influence of one’s social and physical environment on one’s decision to commit a crime. Lastly, the strain theory can be related to Scarver’s criminality as well, as it is used to describe an individual who lacks the means to obtain such goals, and aspirations, so therefore, he or she engages in criminal activities to acquire the goals.

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A theory that explains why people commit criminal behavior is the general deterrence theory. This theory suggests that “people will commit crime and delinquency if they perceive that the benefits outweigh the risks” (Sigel 103). For example, gangs who commit white-collar crimes know the risks of deciding to commit crimes checks frauds and identity theft. As previously mentioned, the article stated that these crimes have light consequence. Therefore, they outweigh the benefits over the risks, which include gaining millions of dollars through fraud and light jail

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The classical theory of crime says that people make rational choices when they commit crimes. “Individuals have the will and rationality to act according to their own will and desires. Individuals will calculate the rationality of the crime based on the benefits of the crime versus the consequences of the crime” (Robinson, 2014). This theory discuses that how people think about the negative and positive outcomes before they commit crime. Even though they realize it is not right, they still continue to commit illegal offence because they believe that what they are doing is for the greater

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However, in the book, Criminology the authors have stated, “…Strain theory states that social structures within society may pressure citizens to commit crime” (Adler, G.M., & Laufer W, 2010, p.105). With the increasing stress, the child needs diapers and the parent has no money and enters Walmart, decides to steal a box of diapers, and is caught in the parking lot. The conflict theorist

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Samantha Perez Gonzalez Dr. Linda Russo CRJ 2030 01 - Theories of Crime 04/26/23 He’s God’s Child “If somebody came to me with a lethal injection, I’d take it,” Willie Bosket stated in an interview with The New York Times. “I’d rather be dead.”

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The first crime theory I will discuss is Differential Association theory. According to Edwin H. Sutherland, differential association is a learning theory that explains criminal behavior

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If I had to choose between these two models I will go with Crime Control (CC). The reason for choosing this model is because I believe that the main goal of the criminal justice system in America is to control crime. However, the results of this model have not yet been great, because there is still crime everywhere. Though is not as bad as it seems, because even though crime still exists in America it has been decreasing throughout the past years.

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Crime causation is the study of the reasons why individuals commit crimes and covers four main theories. The strain theory suggests individuals commit crimes to relieve psychological strain. The social learning theory that suggests individuals commit crimes as a product of their environment. Where control theory suggests that individuals chose an easier alternative to what their environment provides. Lastly, is the anomie theory, a social context where an individual commits a crime in response to alienation from society.

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There are many theories that suggest that crime is constructed socially, or is a product of the society in which the crime is committed. One such theory, proposed by Robert Merton, is known as strain theory. While strain theory is a useful model for explaining how societal values can drive people to commit crimes, it has several flaws and does not focus on how laws are made and how this contributes to the formation of crime. While Merton suggests that laws are created from consensus within a society, it will be argued that strain theory can also support the idea that laws are a “product of conflict” (Hagan 5). Strain theory is founded on the idea that the goals of a society and the accepted means of achieving said goal causes strain that can

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In 1985 Robert Agnew a sociologist come to an interest of studying the theory and finds a potential for the theory in explaining several causes of crime in society, but due to its limitation he developed and reformulated the theory to widen its dimension or scope. After revising the theory he come up into General strain theory of crime and builds its foundation in 1992. General strain theory argues that frustrations and anger leads someone to deviance and may result into committing a crime (Agnew, 1992). GST defines strains as negative life events and conditions which are commonly disliked by the people who experience it or negative experiences of a person in a given group (Agnew, 1992; 2001; 2006). Strain is often classified in two distinct types, the Objective Strain and the Subjective Strain.

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Why do people commit crimes? What goes through their minds before they actually commit a crime? These are questions asked from society to criminologist every time one decides they want to commit a crime. Criminologists has given us different crime causations, theories, to explain the answer to these questions. A theory is a speculation about how phenomena, behavior, or process are caused and what takes place after the cause is determined (Anderson, 2015).

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According to Andrews and Bonta , (2010) PIC-R can be summarized into 13 principles. First, is that all behaviors regardless of the behavior being criminal or non-criminal are under control before and after the deviant act (Andrews and Bonta , 2010). Secondly, PIC-R states that interrelated and intra-related variations of an individuals propensity to commit criminal or non criminal behavior are is due to variations in the individuals perceived cost vs. reward analysis of the specific behavior (Andrews and Bonta , 2010). Additionally, the third principle is that controlling variables interact with the individual through dealings if the individuals environment (Andrews and Bonta , 2010). Furthermore, actions and consequences have two types, additive which Andrews and Bonta , (2010) describe as events that introduce stimuli, or subtractive which are described as withdrawing stimuli.

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Strain theory says that crimes are committed when people “experience a conflict between goals and the means available to obtain the goals” (Pg.127). This is especially true for lower class citizens that commit crimes to achieve what they see as success and feel they cannot obtain otherwise. An example of this can be seen in the poor populations that want to have money but turn to drug dealing because they feel they cannot get a job to make that money. This example of innovation is one of the modes of adaptation that Merton outlines in the book. Another way that the strain theory is adapted is rebellion.

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