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Robert Agnew's General Strain Theory

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Two of the most important concepts are the Strain theory by Robert K. Merton and General Strain theory by Robert Agnew. Strain theory describes that society puts pressure on individuals to achieve socially accepted goes such as the American dream. Though they lack the means to have the American dream, which leads to strain, but might lead to the individuals to commit crimes. On the other hand, Robert Agnew’s General theory describes as seeing crime as a coping mechanism to help people deal with socioemotional problems that are generated by negative social relations. Each member of society has similar goals and aspirations. Some have experienced blocked access to their goals producing behavior that is characterized as criminal. …show more content…

As a community in that neighborhood they have four gangs that takes resident in the neighborhood just at different parts. Over all the illegal activities that the gangs are involve in are guns and selling of drugs. Agnew’s theory showed all five of the strain theories through the video. Criminality is the direct result of negative affective states. Something bad had happened to the them that made them turn to join a gang. Failure to achieve positive goals. Not having someone support you or care about is what someone the men had went through growing. Joining the gang meant having a family around and one that protect them. Disjunction of expectations and achievements. They didn’t have the skills or the attitude to do anything to achieve their goals because no one had been supported them. Removal of positive stimuli, losing a loved one from a gun fight that happened. Presentation of negative stimuli was the area that they live and grow up in. Ralph a little boy who had lost his grandmother to a gang shot out, barricades his doors and pulls down his blinds to prevent bullets from coming through. Ralph said, “I am afraid to go outside because you don’t know if you’re going to get shot or stabbed.” Ralph lives in a bad neighborhood and lost his grandmother to a gang fight. He shows or has presentation of negative stimuli and removal of positive stimuli is being showed

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