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General Strain Theory

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Historical and intellectual background of theory While there are many criminological theories, a theory most interesting would be general strain theory. General strain theory has been revised by multiple different theorists. Robert Agnew’s version of general strain theory discusses strain specifically in individuals. Strain in individuals leads to negative relationships amongst the youth and adolescent teens. Robert Agnew’s general strain theory was introduced back in 1992, as a way to define social relationships and delinquent state of mind (Agnew, 1992). The background of general strain theory is that the previous version was based on valued goals. Robert Agnew decided that strain was a negative relationship with negative emotions …show more content…

These types of strains provide the background of an individual experiencing negative emotions. Since negative emotions lead to crime, this lays the ground work for negative emotions leading to delinquency. There are four characteristics of general strain that are mentioned in various articles. In Moon, Burton, and McCluskey (2008), the four characteristics that were mentioned are unjust, high in magnitude, low social control, and coping strategies. These four characteristics are seen to lead to delinquent behaviors. There are also two types of negative emotions that are discussed as situational based anger and trait based anger. Casual arguments that were used discussed the basis of crime and delinquency and how negative relationships are portrayed. While crime leads to delinquency, there are areas that stand out more than others. The effects on negative relationships and where they begin have branched from the characteristics and types of general strain theory. Description and analyzing of …show more content…

Negative relationships can be between family members, friends, society, and even domestic. When being removed from a domestic relationship, there tends to be retaliation. Adolescents then turn to drugs to cope with the negative emotions. Drugs in today’s society have escalated into opioids and heroin, which has caused high numbers of overdoses. This then becomes another issue in itself. The use of marijuana is still a drug used widely. In Aseltine, Gore, and Gordon (2000), it is discussed that the use of marijuana depends on the social and personal aspects of the

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While a few theories are not as regular, others have developed and are utilized as a part of numerous criminal reviews today. Cutting edge criminologists consolidate the most important aspects of sociology, psychology, anthropology, and biological theories to advance their comprehension of criminal behavior. Rational choice theory, psychological, biological, and strain theory are used to analyze the

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400 Words | 2 Pages

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

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In his strain theory, Agnew identifies several other sources of strain besides Merton’s disjunction between goals and means (Hemmens & Walsh, 2014). In this perspective, strain includes the negative emotions that arise from social relationships. According to Agnew, strain occurs when from the removal of positively valued stimuli such as the loss of a romantic partner, the presentation of negative stimuli such as negative school experiences and the prevention or a threat to prevent an individual from obtaining a positively valued goal (Hemmens & Walsh, 2014). In the case of Lafeyette, his strain came from all three sources. The removal of positively valued stimuli for him was losing Terrence to prison and his two friends to death (Kotlowitz, 1991).

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This theory is also based upon four concepts or elements found with social bonds: attachment, commitment, belief, and involvement, all of which contribute to criminal behavior. Social bonds are the interpersonal relationships we form with family, teachers, friends, employers and even neighbors. Self-control also plays a part in this theory because if a person does not possess self-control, the person is more prone to engaging in criminal activity because they do not want to violate social norms or hurt others. The stronger these elements are; the less likely criminal behavior takes

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512 Words | 3 Pages

The general strain theory is a theory constructed by Robert Agnew. It states that violence; particularly criminal violence, is the result of straining emotions such as depression, frustration, and anger. These emotional strains arise from one of four sources: negative stimuli, removal of positive stimuli, shortcomings, and failure to achieve goals (Fox et al. 34). For Bundy, finding out that the woman who he believed to be his sister growing up was his mother was negative stimuli cognitively. He was in a sense hidden and probably felt a tinge of shame and rejection from his own mother.

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a. Use Strain Theory to define and explain the following: i. The theft of a loaf of bread by a hungry person Using strain theory, the theft of a loaf of bread by a hungry person can be explained as a situation where an individual employs different means of success of getting fed, one that is against the agreeable ways in the society of getting money and feeding themselves. ii. Alcoholics Using strain theory, an alcohol has ultimately rejected the society’s goals of conforming to the societal values such as happiness and a stable job, such an individual essentially rejects the goals because they have been ultimately been unable to live up to the society’s standards. iii.

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1914 Words | 8 Pages

Edwin Lement (1951) explained the theory well as he focussed on the primary and secondary deviation. It just comes to show how influential judgements from society can be after one initial act of deviance (Lement, 1951; pp. 603). Both strain theory and labelling theory has changed my stance on issues of crime and deviance around Tasmania, including youth gangs and violent crime. For example, I initially believed that every member of a youth gang was a bad person. There was no question about it in my mind but learning from labelling theory, Marxist theory and strain theory, my stance on this issue has completely changed.

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His areas of study are Juvenile delinquency, Youth violence and Criminological theory. The main argument of the source is that General strain theory provides and explanation of crime and delinquency and that it is the latest and broadest form of strain theory. General Strain Theory represents a revision and extension of prior strain theories. “General strain theory is distinguished from other criminological theories by the central role it assigns to negative emotions in the etiology of offending. It is also distinguished by the emphasis it places on particular strains, especially strains involving negative social relations “ (Brezina, 2018).

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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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In criminology, differential association is a theory developed by Edwin Sutherland proposing that through interaction with others, individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior. The differential association theory is the most talked about of the learning theories of deviance. (DAT). (Sutherland) (Sociological Theories of Crime and Their Explanation on Crime , 2007) Theories of criminality are most commonly derived from human behavior.

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General strain theory suggest discovering gender reforms in strains, negative emotions, and acclimatizing factors and by presenting whether and how these variables relate to criminal consequences. The results offer limited support for the principle’s theorized gender changes in sorts of strains that males and females experience. As expected consistent with the research, males are more likely to reported upper levels of teachers’ bodily penalty and illicit discrimination, and females reported upper levels of family conflict. Though, conflicting to the concepts of the general strain theory the expectation no major gender changes in financial strain, examination-related strain, and gender discrimination are initiated. Strain seemed to meaningfully

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Strain theory Strain theory would help define how minorities feel. Strain Theory by Merton states that crime is committed by individual when they don’t achieve nor understand the “American Goals”. Conformity is when you accept the goal and the meaning. Innovation is when you reject the means but accept the goals. Ritualism is when you reject the goals and accept the means.

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Merton. The theory states that society puts pressure on individuals to achieve socially accepted goals (such as the American dream) though they lack the means, this leads to strain which may lead the individuals to commit crimes. Two major concerns in strain theory are the sources of the strain, stress or how people adapt to the strain. Positivism are theories of social and structure are strain theories.

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2124 Words | 9 Pages

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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Albert Francis Charles Augustus Emmanuel Cohen presented the theory of gang constitution that used Merton’s strain theory as a basis for why individuals resort to such group behavior. There are five adaptions to strain and of the five Sanyika was proximately cognate to the adaptation of revolt, which is the most complex of the five adaptations. Strain is considered the primary source for the development of criminals. According to Cohen, delinquent youths begin to value destruction of property and skipping school, not because these behaviors lead to a payoff or success in the conventional world, but simply because they defy the conventional norms and laws as good, thereby psychologically and physically rejecting the cultural system that has been imposed on them without preparation and fair distribution of resources. (Tibbets, p. 116)

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