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Social Strain Theory: The Three Main Causes Of Crime

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Social structure theories emphasize poverty, lack of education, absence of marketable skills, and subcultural values as fundamental causes of crime. Three subtypes of social structure theories can be identified: social disorganization theory, strain theory, and culture conflict theory. Social disorganization theory encompasses the notion of social pathology, which sees society as a kind of organism and crime and deviance as a kind of disease or social pathology.
Theories of social disorganization are often associated with the perspective of social ecology and with the Chicago School of criminology, which developed during the 1920s and 1930s. Strain theory points to a lack of fit between socially approved success goals and the availability …show more content…

Cultural deviance theories hold that a unique value system develops in lower class areas.
Lower-class values approve of behaviors such as being tough, never showing fear, and defying authority. A recent book by Todd Clear (Imprisoning Communities, Oxford University Press
2007) offers new evidence that over the years the tough-on-crime stance has actually contributed to fuel crime and second offenses. So in the long run the effect of imprisonment on crime is not that great. After all, what do you expect people to learn in prison? It’s certainly not by stuffing them into overcrowded cell blocks that criminals will learn about social values or the virtues of universal love. The early study of social structures has informed the study of institutions, culture and agency, social interaction, and history. Alexis de Tocqueville was apparently the first to use the term social structure; later, Karl Marx, Herbert Spencer, Max Weber, Ferdinand Tönnies, and

Émile Durkheim all contributed to structural concepts in sociology. Weber investigated and analyzed the institutions of modern society: market, bureaucracy (private enterprise and public administration), and politics (e.g. democracy).
One of the earliest and most comprehensive accounts of social structure was provided by

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The general strain theory of crime, which was developed by criminologist Robert Agnew, would be best to explain this type of offense. Most stressors in daily life can be seen as easily solvable with money. Rather than working for financial gain, some people find it easier to commit crimes because it is a faster way to get what they want. This encompasses the reason for counterfeiting money because it involves the 3 main ingredients for the strain theory. The first aspect is the inability to achieve positively valued goals.

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1898 Words | 8 Pages

Specific theories that indicate the linkage of behavior to the community are Merton’s Strain Theory, Agnew’s Strain Theory, Social Disorganization Theory, Elijah

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1206 Words | 5 Pages

The strain theory is relatively close to the social disorganization theory, regarding poverty rates, and unemployment rates within

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625 Words | 3 Pages

Criminal and conflict gang whose primarily intent of crimes for tangible gains. Social structure theorists consider that the main components to illegal behavior are the ascendancy of social and economic influences that are distinguished in rundown communities where the population is predominantly lower-class citizens (Siegel, 2010). This following theory goes into helping us comprehend ways the human behavior, is the result of physical

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139 Words | 1 Pages

To expand my research to attain the goal of understanding specification of both explanations, The southern subculture of violence theory blames higher crime rates in the South on “cultural values that evolved from that region’s unique history” (Ousey, 2000:268). All cultural explanations are based on the social learning approach, which holds that criminality is learned through intimate interactions with others. Another example is that capital punishment is highest in the South. The economic deprivation explanation to differences of crime rates within regions of the country is synonymous with strain theories.

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1118 Words | 5 Pages

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.

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965 Words | 4 Pages

Introduction Jennifer Ebarhardt who, through her collaboration with different experts in various fields such as law, criminology, novel studies that further law enforcements and judges as well as criminology discover in her studies found out that there is racial bias in today’s policing and sentencing of criminals such that black color is stereotype as group of people who are associated with violence and therefore they mostly received death sentence especially when their victims are whites and therefore they are blacks who are arrested. These behaviors can be best explains using the following theories: General Strain Theory According to this theory, people are involved in crimes because they are not in a position to achieve their goals making them to be frustrated and has the following sources: A person aspiring to become wealth and famous but these aspirations are impossible making them to engage in vandalism or physical attacks which are antisocial forms of behaviors, a person may experience strains due to removal of highly valued stimuli such as migration to new residence will make him/her to get involved in criminal activities in efforts to revenge the loss of highly valued stimuli. Black American youths are unable to meet making them to develop frustration and delinquency.

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417 Words | 2 Pages

There are many differences between sociological theories, psychological theories, and theological theories of criminology. When comparing these theories, we are able to recognize how they work together in describing crime. However, these theories have more differences than they do similarities. Sociological theories take the time to explain the influences of society on criminal behavior. Psychological theories discuss the individual themselves, and how their personalities, IQ, or way of thinking influences criminal behavior.

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1185 Words | 5 Pages

The social learning theory for instance shows Manson leant deviance in his early childhood from his mother, who was incarcerated when he was five. This implicates the environmental control and that of close persons. It depicts that behavior modification can be achieved through enhancing the social environment for criminals. The social conflict theory explains that individuals engage in crime when the legal system, which is under the control of the wealthy, identifies their acts as being unlawful (Lionell & Rawlins, 2005) Labeling theory

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which are often linked to very high rates of incarceration. Critical social theory challenges ideologies and offers a better framework for creating a more equal and just society. To discuss the limitations of moral theories in addressing the complex issues of the prison system, it is important to note that moral theories of punishment have historically not been the best vehicle for addressing the prison crisis. Traditional moral justifications of punishment, like those presented in mainstream philosophy, often fall short in providing effective solutions to the challenges faced in the penal system. Moral theories may critique current penal institutions and practices, but they may not offer practical guidance for designing alternatives or for creating positive social change in the system.

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540 Words | 3 Pages

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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1651 Words | 7 Pages

Durkheim argued that crime is a normal and necessary part of any society, as it serves to reinforce social norms and boundaries, and can also spur social change. Durkheim believed that the level of crime in a society was an indication of the health of that society, and that low levels of crime could be a sign of social stagnation. Sociological criminology is an approach to the study of crime that emphasizes the role of social structures and social processes in the development of criminal behavior. Sociological criminologists argue that crime is not solely the result of individual pathology or moral failing, but is rather the product of social factors such as poverty, inequality, social disorganization, and cultural

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977 Words | 4 Pages

In today's society crime tends to be more present in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Not all neighborhoods start out as a heavily violent one. Each neighborhood goes through a cycle to gain the negative reputation it has to this day. When there is a change, not everyone can adapt as well. With changes comes industries pushing local out of their homes, then a decrease in opportunities to works and this eventually leads to people competing with each other.

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869 Words | 4 Pages

Social process theory depends on the interaction between individuals and society as an explanation and is also known as interactionist perspective. This theory assumes that everyone has the potential to violate the law and that criminality is not an innate human characteristic but is instead a belief that criminal behavior is learned by interaction with others (Schmalleger, 2012). Social process feels the socialization process that occurs because of group membership is the main way through which learning occurs (Schmalleger, 2012). Social process theory views criminality as people’s interactions with various organizations, institutions, and processes in society (Siegel, 2000). This theory feels that people from all areas have the potential

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1013 Words | 5 Pages

The initial impact from socioeconomic status begins through the influence of an individual’s community and resources provided to nourish the well-being of the person. However, when a strong community or welfare is absent, the prosperity of the individual often declines. In the Journal of Economic Issues, Theodore Chiricos notes “...that poor individuals from juveniles to adults are more likely to be arrested and charged than middle and upper-income individuals (41-52)” (Chiricos 519). Communities with little access to substantial resources for intolerance against neglect of the law encourages disobedience to authority.

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