The Strain Theory Was Formulated By Robert K. Merton

You’re walking into school and it’s like any other day. Since it’s December, most teachers are getting ready for winter break with parties and festivities...until you hear a series of gunshots echo throughout the hallway. Then an announcement comes on, telling everyone that the school is under lockdown. But when the police arrive, it’s already too late. This is what happened to the children at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Several years after the shooting, Adam Lanza, the shooter, was believed to be suffering with several mental disabilities, but he was never diagnosed. During elementary school he was also bullied and beaten as a child at school by classmates.

Adam Lanza, 20 years old at the time of the shooting, had been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. According to a report by Connecticut’s Office of Child Advocate Lanza was an individual with deteriorating mental health and a fascination with mass shootings. Before the shooting, Lanza had cut off all communication to reality, secluding himself to his room where he played hours of violent video games and obsessed over mass murders. During the police investigation, his computer was found to contain stories, movies, and video games all related to

“The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot twenty children and six adult staff members” ("Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting"). “It was the deadliest mass shooting at a high school or grade school in U.S. history and the second-deadliest mass shooting by a single person in America”("Screening Sandy Hook"). Several families lost a loved one all due to someone 's selfishness to provoke harm to many innocent lives. “At some point before he went to the school, investigators believe Adam Lanza, killed his mother, Nancy Lanza” ("Sandy Hook Shooting:

On December 14, 2014, local and nation news stations all covered the breaking news story of Adam Lanza, who at the time was 20 years old, opened fire at a local elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, Sandy Hook Elementary. Adam shot and killed 20 children, 6 adults, his own mother, then killed himself. Investigators conducted a thorough investigation into Adam's life to determine motive for this tragedy. Law enforcement investigations determined that Adam had a history of mental illness. Investigations also determined that Adam had access to a full surplus of guns and weapons which feed into this obsession of guns and violence. Media coverage of the Sandy Hook Tragedy heavily reported on Adam's mental status and his obsession with guns

Adam Lanza had a mental illness issue, he spent the day in his room playing violent video games. On the day of the shooting, Adam’s mom came home from a trip and he shot her four times in the head. Then he took an assault rifle and two pistols. Then he drove to

How could one deranged man voluntarily walk into an elementary school and open fire on children who haven’t even had all their teeth come in yet? Newtown, Connecticut is like any other small suburban town; quiet, quaint and safe. That was until a twenty-four year old “sociopath” (Alexander, Barrett, Donnelly, Swaine), by the name of Adam Lanza, put this charming town on the map, and not for a decent notable reason. Sandy Hook Elementary School educates students’ grades kindergarten through fifth and Lanza forced his way into the kindergarten and first grade level rooms.

The Columbine shootings occurred because two individuals who were mentally unstable and were prone to committing acts of violence had access to weapons. In addition to this the staff and parents did not report any suspicious behavior that was seen prior these crimes. The combination of social, psychological, and anger problems triggered a violent and deadly response. This could have been preventable if the initial warning signs were taken seriously. The video essay “trench coat mafia” should of lead to psychological evaluation that questioned and analyzed the mentality and perception of Eric and

On the morning of December 14, 2012, a lone shooter entered Sandy Hook elementary school and killed 26 people. This heinous crime is America’s deadliest mass shooting at a grade school and the fourth-deadliest mass shooting by a single person. Throughout the country, American citizens were mournful and regretful as media outlets released the details of what transpired. Police investigators, media reporters, and American citizens were left wondering how could this have happened and how could we have prevented this heinous crime? In looking for an explanation, the media emphasized various social issues such as mental health, violent video games, and gun control as possible catalysts. In the end, the Sandy Hook massacre became a highlighted

It was a beautiful Sunday morning of March 6, 1915 in Brunswick Georgia, where kids were outside playing and residents were strolling along the busy streets of local businesses, but the inevitable happened when a 59 year old named Monroe Phillips went into a building with an automatic shotgun and opened fire killing six people and wounding 32. 84 years later and Seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold of Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado opened fire at about 11:OO a.m on April 20, 1999 on a planned attack and killed 12 students and wounded more than 20 others. Soon after the pair committed suicide in the school’s library at 12:00 p.m. A decade didn't even pass by when Adam Lanza killed his mother in her own home on December 14, 2012,

The defense sought to win the case by default and delaying the testimonies from witnesses and other proceedings (McMorris, 2017).

It was a quiet morning of December 14, 2012 in Newtown, CT, USA during the usual winter weather in New England state, with people preparing for the Christmas holidays. What happened next has triggered consequences of starting the major debate on gun control with the creation of a presidential task force charged with recommending solutions to the problem of gun violence, and more specific, public mass shootings. That is when 20-year old tall and lanky man named Adam Lanza made his way to the Sandy Hook Elementary School and cold-bloodedly murdered 20 children between six and seven years old, as well as six adult staff members. Minutes before, he shot dead his own mother at their Newtown home… It was not neither first nor last of wanton mass killings of strangers/innocent bystanders (children) with deliberate attempt to deprive them of their lives without any tangible gain or explainable reasoning, motives happening in the US.

A casual day turned into a tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. The Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 was “the second deadliest shooting in U.S history” where Adam Lanza went on a killing spree shooting 20 first graders and 6 adults; he even took his own life as well. There was no clear indication why Lanza committed this mass killing at the elementary school. Reports have said that video games influence is motive to the killings because “he was so enormously isolated” that he would shut “himself in the bedroom and play violent video games all day” (Smith). He would create videos depicting gunshot suicides and pictures of himself pointing guns at his own head like he had seen in videos games. The violent video games had deeply brainwashed his mind making Americans believe that violent video games are a factor in contributing violence in people.

Newtown, Connecticut. The kindergarteners filed into their desks just after coming inside on a cool, crisp, fall morning. Adam Lanza got into his car, fresh after killing his own mother. Over 1,000 rounds of ammo filled his pockets. The carnage was about to begin. He pulled into Sandy Hook Elementary School and got out of his car. Walking through the front doors with ease, he entered a classroom. Suddenly, gunfire is heard. Blood filled the floors of the classroom. Screaming, and the aroma of gunpowder, filled the air.

On the other hand, the personal experience speaks the other part of story. For Lanza, the mental health plays a significant role. His mother has announced her worried that Adam had not left the house in three months, and he stopped to communicate with his father in 2011, had not contacted with his older brother for years, had stopped playing video games with others in the earlier year. According to Adam’s mental health history, he has learning difficulties, a lack of empathy, also violence for no reason. According to State’s Attorney, all of the firearms were legally purchased by the shooter’s mother. Additionally, ammunition of the types found had been purchased by the mother in the past (pages 28-35, The Report of the State’s Attorney). Long

Robert Merton developed strain theory in the 1940s; this theory explained the rising crime rate that was experienced in the United States during the year of 1940s. Also, strain theory has become popular among the contemporary sociologists. In Merton’s theory, he argued that the America system of cultural was built on the American Dream which created a set of meritocratic principles that assured that America citizens have equality of opportunity that is available to everyone; irrespective of social class, gender, or ethnicity. According to Robert, he stated that “the American Dream encouraged individuals to pursue a goal of success which was largely measured regarding the acquisition of wealth and material possessions. People were expected to pursue this goal through legitimate means such as education and work” (Mason, & Smithey, 2012). He also included that