Essay On General Strain Theory

South Africa strikes many observers as a country riven by excessive and widespread violence. Interpersonal violence is a daily reality for many, and several studies of crime statistics indicate that poorer people are more likely to be subjected to such violence. Given that the overwhelming majority of people in South Africa are poor, this means that the majority of those subjected to violence are likely to be poor. Then there is community violence, whether in the form of street gangs or the vigilante groups who fight them with similar methods, because many communities feel under-protected by the various state agencies responsible for safety and security in South Africa. These policing agencies are themselves also accused of using excessive force. Despite popular misconceptions that the wealthier you are, the more likely you are to be the target of interpersonal violence, statistics suggest the opposite to be true. Poor people is South Africa are more vulnerable, partly because they often have to rely on inadequate policing, whereas the wealthier classes have to a large extent, privatised their own security. Violence however is not bounded by the categorical divisions of race, class or geography so often used to understand

The core idea of general strain theory is that people who experience strain or stress become distressed or upset which may lead them to commit crime in order to cope. One of the key principles of this theory is emotion as the motivator for crime. The theory was developed to conceptualize the full range of sources in society where strain possible comes from. The strain theory also focuses on the perspective of goals for status, expectations and class rather than focusing on money. A clear example of General strain theory is the people who use illegal drugs to make themselves feel better and that will lead the people to commit