Mertons strain theory is an important contribution to the study of crime and deviance in the 1940s it helped to explain why crime continued to exist in countries, such as America, which were experiencing increasing economic growth and wealth. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? Although some criminologists argue that these tests were flawed (see Agnew, Cullen, Burton, Evans, & Dunaway, 1996), such research diminished the influence of strain theory. This paper tests Agnew's (1992) general strain theory (GST) of crime and delinquency. After reading the literature, policy implications for General Strain Theory become obvious. Although the theory appears to be logical and fits the criteria for being a good theory by what was learned in CRMJ 301, I have become a skeptic of the theory. Agnew (1992), however, argues that other types of goal blockage are important and may have a stronger relationship to crime and delinquency. Design/methodology/approach - A survey was developed and administered to 114 . General strain theory (GST) is an established criminological theory. In the face of strain that originates in families, schools, or neighborhoods, adolescents have fewer opportunities for legal coping. Summary. . The strain theories of Merton, Cohen, and Cloward and Ohlin were influential throughout much of the 20th century and helped to inspire antipoverty efforts. 10 Why do people turn to crime in the strain theory? One weakness of Mertons theory of anomie/strain is that it does not provide a good explanation for economic crimes. Lets say a sales worker who thought they deserved a promotion due to good sales performance gets demoted while someone with less credentials get promoted. The results are generally supportive of GST. Can't escape noxious stimuli. In contrast, trait-based emotionsespecially angry disposition or negative emotionalitymay play a stronger role in moderating the relationship between strain and offending; that is, individuals who possess these traits seem more likely than others to respond to strain with antisocial behavior (see Agnew et al., 2002; Eitle, 2010). Research indicates that most of these strains are related to crime (for an overview, see Agnew, 2006). General strain theory can be easy to subscribe to due in part to its broad scope, and General Strain Theory unlike previous strain theories is able to focus on middle and lower class delinquency, rather than exclusively lower class like Merton. Clearly, additional research on this issue is needed. Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic, Hong Kong. Since Agnews major revision in 1992 there has been a substantial amount of empirical tests like Broidys, which there had not been previously (Froggio 2007: 392-394). Agnews Theory state that strains are shaped by various factors, including the nature, intensity, and duration of the strain, the emotions that the strain produces in the individual, the collection of coping mechanisms at an individuals disposal (Broidy 2001:10). By measuring these factors, primarily intensity and duration of strain, General Strain Theory can be empirically tested by criminologists. Thus any deviation from this value would result in an internal strain in the molecule. What are the weaknesses of the strain theory? Strained individuals may resort to crime or delinquency because it allows them to address the source of strain or because it allows them to alleviate the negative emotions that tend to accompany strain (even though criminal or delinquent responses may cause more problems in the long run). Registered office: Creative Tower, Fujairah, PO Box 4422, UAE. Stress can be influenced by a variety of factors however, whether it is accumulation of wealth, death of a friend, or perhaps loss of job. General strain theory is an individualistic approach (Froggio 2007): it explains why individuals demonstrate deviant behavior. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. These traits are linked to failure in school, unstable work histories, association with criminal and delinquent peers, and ultimately a pattern of persistent offending. This type of access increases the likelihood that such youth will specialize in money-oriented crimes as opposed to drug use or violence. The American dream is a popular culturally defined goal, Merton argued, which through honest-dedicated work, anyone can achieve this dream of wealth. Further, certain data indicate that adolescents may resort to delinquency because it allows them to alleviate the negative emotional consequences of strain, at least in the short run (Brezina, 1996, 2000; Novacek, Raskin, & Hogan, 1991). Likewise, a study by Hoffmann and Ireland (2004) produced mixed results regarding the impact of school-context variables on delinquency. According to GST, however, the primary reason these strains are related to crime and delinquency is because they increase the likelihood that individuals will experience negative emotions, such as anger, resentment, anxiety, and depression. Agnew (1992:51) describes multiple types of strain that fall under the category of failing to achieve positively valued goals. The theory explains that it is the social structures that influence a person to commit a crime. Broidy (2001) asserts that by testing the theory with most middle-class, white college age students, it ensures that the results of the test are not spurious.. These differences, in turn, are linked to the gender gap in delinquent involvement. To address the mixed body of results produced by empirical studies, Agnew (2013) has further specified the conditions under which a deviant response to strain is more or less likely. Given the complexity of the coping process, he now argues that a single factor examined in isolationsuch as social support or association with delinquent peersis not likely, by itself, to shape the likelihood of deviant coping. Crime and deviance is not always motivated by a desire for monetary gain. As Agnew (2013) observes, the coping process is very complex: [The] examination of the coping process is difficult. Further, the victim of bullying may believe that striking back at the source of strain will help to end or alleviate the strain. In contrast to control and learning theories, GST focuses explicitly on negative treatment by others and is the only major theory of crime and delinquency to highlight the role of negative emotions in the etiology of offending. Three types of strain. Certain categories of youth may lack conventional sources of social support, especially young people who have poor relationships with their parents and teachers. General strain theory (GST) states that strains increase the likelihood of crime, particularly strains that are high in magnitude, are seen as unjust, are associated with low social control, and create some pressure or incentive for criminal coping. However, Agnew (1985), suggests that tests have proved differently. Limited evidence suggests that situation-based and trait-based emotions may operate differently, with situation-based emotions playing a larger role in mediating the relationship between recent strains and offending (Mazerolle, Piquero, & Capowich, 2003; Moon et al., 2009). Overview. Certain school-level measures (such as perceived fairness) predicted delinquency at the individual level, but others did not (such as school problems). GST has been partly successful in overcoming these limitations. Over time, strain theories came under attack for their failure to adequately explain why only some strained individuals resort to crime, for their failure to explain offending by middle-class individuals, for their neglect of goals other than monetary success or middle-class status, and for their lack of empirical support. Second, neighborhood-level strain exerted a significant effect on violence in communities characterized by a low level of social support. The Essay Writing ExpertsUK Essay Experts. Robert Agnew developed the general strain theory, sometimes referred to as GST, in 1992. Theoretical Criminology, 14, 131-153. There is some evidence that negative emotions other than anger may help to account for the relationship between strain and offending, at least for certain deviant outcomes (e.g., Bao, Haas, & Pi, 2007; Ganem, 2010; Hay & Meldrum, 2010; Jang & Johnson, 2003; Kaufman, 2009; Piquero et al., 2010). How to Market Your Business with Webinars. What Are the Strengths and Weaknesses of Mertons Strain Theory in Understanding Crime paper focuses on the social strain theory. In other neighborhoods, strained youth specialize in violent behavior or in money-oriented crimes. In addition, they observe that the combined effects of anger and depression have criminogenic consequences but in ways not predicted by GST. Agnew (1992): General Strain Theory. It is possible, for example, that males are more likely to engage in delinquent coping because they have a greater tendency to associate with delinquent peers, or because they have lower levels of conventional social support. A study by Ganem (2010) highlights the potential complexity of the linkage between strain and offending, indicating that different types of strain may produce different types of negative emotions. idea and it is not surprising that strain theory has had a major impact on delinquency research and public policy (Liska,b). Based on a national sample of African American adults, Jang and Johnson (2003) find that strain-induced anger best predicts aggression, while strain-induced depression is more strongly associated with substance use. Why was the strain theory important in the 1940s? Encouraging K-12 schools to teach children that the accumulation of wealth is not what is success necessary is could be another implication based off of this theory, by doing this it could encourage children to value family, job stability, and good health rather than simply becoming wealthy. Further, as predicted by Broidy and Agnew (1997), most studies in this area conclude that the reaction to strain is gendered. A criticism made by Bernard (1987), is that the strain . It is possible that these samples contained few individuals with a strong propensity to offend. Over the years of its development, strain theorists have attempted to broaden the initial scope of this perspective. Several findings from this study are noteworthy. All work is written to order. In particular, criminal coping is said to be most likely when highly criminogenic strains are experienced by individuals who have a strong overall propensity to offend and who are in circumstances or situations in which the opportunities for legal coping are limited (Agnew, 2013). It analyses white-collar crime as well as its policing in more detail by using strain theory and the. These strains lead to negative emotions, such as frustration and anger. (Note: the work of Merton also suggests that strain contributes to anomie, or a sense that the traditional rules no longer apply. It also increases the likelihood that angry and frustrated individuals will encounter each other, contributing to elevated rates of crime and violence (Agnew, 1999). Measures of individual-level strain, however, exerted significant effects on delinquent behavior. Merton observed that, in the United States, the cultural ethos of the American Dream encourages all individuals, regardless of circumstance, to strive for personal success, with an emphasis on the accumulation of monetary wealth. One of the major criticisms is the fact that the strain theory is based on weak empirical support. Strains that meet these conditions include parental rejection and abuse, harsh or excessive parental discipline, negative experiences in school (e.g., failing grades or negative relations with teachers), being the victim of bullying or other peer abuse, criminal victimization, marital problems (e.g., verbal or physical abuse), persistent unemployment or under-employment; racial discrimination, homelessness, residence in economically deprived neighborhoods, and the inability to satisfy strong desires for money, excitement, and masculine status. 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