Essay on Merton's Strain Theory

Two strengths of Merton’s strain theory include that strain theory specifies how one may adaptto social strain. Merton’s typology categorizes individuals’ modes of adaptations and helps to explain how and why different individuals with different positions in the social structure are effectively “pushed” into different types of conforming and deviant behaviors to understand how they may become deviant. In addition, Merton’s strain theory also helps to explain higher crime rates among the disadvantaged and how cultural norms create conflict and crime. This is why policy societal institutions have pushed to focus on fixing institutionalized means (Example: Brazil & US affirmative

To lists some of the crime he has committed such as the case with vandalism, petty theft, grand theft auto, rape, assaults and assault with a deadly weapon, drug dealing, and attempt murder. Not only does the offense he committed affect him, but it has also caught up with him to do three years in prison. The use of Strain Theory is to examine deviancy within Nathan McCall’s life when he is confronted by the cultural goals that is within his environment and the institution means that enable him to achieve the goals. Within a healthy society, McCall will be acceptable towards the goals and suitable means to achieve the goals that society have impose upon on him. In contrast, when McCall cultural values and means becomes imbalance, he would encounter strain by adapting to five modes of adaptation.

Rebellion is the denunciation of both conventional and cultural goals, but aims to replace both foundations with new goals and means of obtaining these.

Exploring the role of negative emotions among murderers in a population of federal offenders: the General Strain Theory

On the sunny day of June 4, 2014 in Monkton, New Brunswick, 24-year-old Justin Bourque loaded his rifle, drove his truck to a local gas station, and brutally murdered 3 RCMP officers. In the aftermath of this shocking crime, criminologists ask themselves two questions: why did this happen, and even more importantly, how can we prevent it from happening again? Hirschi’s Control Theory and Merton’s Strain Theory suggest that Bourque’s failure to properly bond with our society and his inability to succeed within it directly led to the most extreme form of social deviance: murder.

In 1995, a very heinous, mysterious crime was committed the murder of two innocent boys by their mother. This crime was thought to be completely unexplainable. This mother convinced America that a black man had stole her car and kidnapped her children. Little did we know this suicidal woman would be capable of committing such a crime. There are many theories that you can apply to this case. However the theory that fits it most closely is the general strain theory.

Parental monitoring is vital for an individual’s development because it teaches him/her how to make decisions, learn from right from wrong, and (a benefit) how to not get into trouble with the law. Without that monitoring, s/he has to make decisions and guide themselves. However, s/he can make poor judgements and can potentially land themselves having to deal with the criminal justice system. Ryan conducted a study to measure the relationship between child neglect and recidivism on early adulthood (2013). Recidivism is a concept in which an already convicted criminal has a likelier chance of committing another offense (Ryan, 2013). The relationship showed that those who had a history of neglect were more likely to re-offend (Ryan, 2013). If the individual is living in a household with a heavy dysfunctional relationship with other family members, it can lead to the child to rebel and run away from the home (Hildyard, 2002). Those who suffer from child neglect have a likelihood of running away from home. This relates to the constant rejection received at home, and by not living in that household anymore, can have the individual develop a more juvenile and rebellious behavior. Through the acts of child neglect, an individual is at-risk for developing a more delinquent behavior and can potentially place themselves in more trouble with the

The two theories identified are Strain theory and General strain theory. Strain theories are indicated when certain strains or stressors are increased, there is a probability for a person to commit a crime. According to Robert Merton, strain theory is a form of adaptive problem-solving behavior that is committed in response to problems involving frustrating and undesirable social environments (Schmalleger, 2011). Strain results from an individual failure to achieve one’s goals, such as money, status/respect, autonomy, loss of a positive (death of a friend or love one), and loss of value possession. Strain can be thought of as pressure that individuals feel to reach socially determined goals (Agnew, 2015). A person who experience these strains become upset, which they may turn to crime in an effort to cope. By doing so, crime may be an escape or reduction for them to escape this feeling.

After the researchers controlling for self-control, their measure of parental efficacy continued to maintain a strong relationship with delinquency (Margaryan, 2004). Their measure of deviant peers was also a strong predictor of

In some families, there can be different circumstances and situations which can cause any sane person to transform into a criminal. Firstly, the family environment will shape a child's welfare with a hospitable, caring parent-child interaction, a comfortable environment at home, and acceptable disciplinary skills. Accordingly, families with weak bonding between parents and children who are emotionally inhospitable and erratic in disciplining their child, are often linked to later criminal behavior. Furthermore, parents are pivotal to the socialization of a criminal, because it begins with the authority of their parenting practices. Authoritarian parental practices are excessively controlling, establishing children to meet a high set of standards, they lack the competence to be accommodating, responsiveness and cordial towards their children.

Introduction: Throughout history there have always been many different theories of crime and why people commit crimes. In the late 1930s a new theory rose to the forefront; this theory was called the anomie theory. Anomie means a lack of ethical standards. The anomie theory was proposed by Roberton Merton. It stated that society, as a whole, generally shares the same goals relating to having success in life; whether that is having a family, wealth, power, or just happiness. Society generally agrees that these are things that are to be sought after. Furthermore, Merton proposed that society, as a whole, also has a list of generally accepted ways to achieve such goals (Merton, 1938). Criminal activity, such as robbery, murder, and corruption, are among the things that are not accepted by society as appropriate means to achieve these goals. Merton’s anomie theory was built upon in 1992 by Robert Agnew who developed the general strain theory. General strain theory argues that when members of society are unable to achieve the general goals that society has set forth, they will, in order to avoid further rejection, further alienate themselves from society. Agnew also argued that if these individuals feel as if their shortcomings were a result of their environment failing them they will likely develop very negative feelings towards society, causing them to

Self-control was operationalized on an 8-item scale assessing risk seeking, impulsive behaviors, and attitudes. Victimization was operationalized by parental attachment, parental monitoring, school attachment, delinquent peer association, and neighborhood disorder using a 4-item scale. Each subsection of victimization was measured on its own scale. These researchers went as far as to select specific methods of victimization and self-control, which is good. Having several levels of each variable leaves out the opportunity of any missed data. One could mimic this study by selecting different levels and compare their data. The researchers were unable to use the full Grasmick scale because their data precluded them from doing so. This calls the validity of the data into question. Not using the full scale could affect the accuracy of the data if the scale was not adjusted to fit the portion they selected, thus posing a threat to the internal validity. The results of this study showed a reciprocal relationship between victimization and

Power-control theory sets out to explain the gender differences in delinquency based on the foundation of family structure, as well as the parental controls exercised on boys versus girls. Hagan’s theory can also be connected to Hisrchi’s theory of Self-Control. Hirschi’s theory involves a preference for taking risks due to a lack of self-control. Second, this self-control is established by the nature of parenting in the family. While Hirschi focused on parenting being either

As the nineties began, the general theory of crime became the most prominent criminological theory ever proposed; furthermore, it is empirically recognized as the primary determinant in deviant and criminal behaviors. Known also as the self-control theory, the general theory of crime can most simply be defined as the absence or lack of self-control that an individual possesses, which in turn may lead them to commit unusual and or unlawful deeds. Authored by educator Michael R. Gottfredson and sociologist Travis Hirschi, A General Theory of Crime (1990) essentially “dumbed down” every theory of crime into two words, self-control. The widely accepted book holds that low self-control is the main reason that a person initiates all crimes, ranging from murder and rape to burglary and embezzlement. Gottfredson and Hirschi also highlighted, in A General Theory of Crime (1990), that low self-control correlates with personal impulsivity. This impulsive attitude leads individuals to become insensitive to deviant behaviors such as smoking, drinking, illicit sex, and gambling (p. 90). The extreme simplicity, yet accuracy, of Gottfredson’s and Hirschi’s general theory of crime (self-control theory), make it the most empirically supported theory of criminal conduct, as well as deviant acts.

They also suggest that one major cause of low self-control is “ineffective child-rearing.” (Cullen & Agnew, 2011, Pg. 233) Taking this into consideration, it is also conceivable that low cognitive abilities may influence social interaction (effective socialization, adequate control), which in turn could influence criminal behavior.