Strain Theory Essay

Reasons for killing someone can be very difficult to figure out and vary significantly. However, there always is a reason for why something of this nature happens. In some cases the explanation of “no reason” is the whole reason in itself. Finding the triggers and the societal constructs as to what causes a murder and or homicide of someone has been studied by criminologists for hundreds of years. Some theories such as Classical, Biological, Psychological, and Sociological just cusp the surface of, “why” Someone would kill another. By using these methods that many influential criminologists have used, the world of criminology has come to a better explanation of it; which will be explained further in this paper by using these methods.

Classical

It explains that it is not a personal choice to commit a crime but further shaped by social, economical, and cultural factors. This is a highly criticized theory but along with the other theories it helps us better understand the motives and the actions of others and ourselves. One of the biggest theories that falls under this category is Strain Theory, which Emile Durkheim contributed largely with, during the middle part of the 20th century; with his work in social interrogation being seen as a precursor to strain theory. Strain theory suggests that certain strains or stressors can cause one to commit a crime. An example of this would be if you have done everything you could to get a job. But, since you are a convicted felon, people will not hire you. So, this leads to a life of criminality. Thus needing to make money to eat and live being the stressor. This example can also lead into labeling theory which also falls under the sociological theory of criminology. This is an extreme example but still relevant for many. A study was posted to the National Library of Medicine, that researched general strain theory and its persistence and desistance among young adult males. This study found three main strains that would cause someone to commit a crime. They were, “1) the failure to achieve positively valued goals, including the disjunction between expectations and actual outcomes and the perception of what would be a fair or just outcome and actual outcomes; 2) the removal (or threat of removal) of positively valued stimuli that the actor already possesses (e.g., the death of a parent or the loss of a girlfriend); and 3) presentation with noxious or negatively valued stimuli, such as abuse (Eitle, 2010).” It was also argued in this research study that the main strain had to deal with relationships that the person