Essay On Cupcake Theory

Applying theories to Cupcake
The aim of theories is to explain human behavior, rather than justifying or excusing the behavior of an individual. Through theories an explanation as to why individuals engage in criminal acts is being presented through various theories, that each give their own insight as to where crime takes place, or how criminals are being shaped. Applying theories to an individual is what this paper will do, specifically in regards to Cupcake Brown. Cupcake Brown recounts her life in her book A Piece of Cake, and it is through those instances that theories will be applied in order to explain the behavior that ensued. The theories that will be applied to Cupcake’s behavior first will be strain theory, next subculture theories …show more content…
For Agnew deviance is a result of three particular types of strains. The first comes when there is a loss of a positive stimuli. This takes place when Cupcakes mom passes away, she no longer has a loving, caring responsible guardian. It is the loss of her mother or the positive stimuli that places an emotional strain on the young eleven year old child. She lost the stimuli that was of a positive asset to her life and sought to replace. When Cupcake joined the gang she immersed herself in deviant behavior, because she sought to replace the positive stimuli that was taken from her. Second form of strain is when an individual is constantly subjected to a negative stimuli. For Cupcake this came right after the death of her mother, not only was she exposed to verbal and physical abuse at the hands of Diane and Connie, but also sexual abuse by Pete. This negative stimuli remained persistent throughout her stay at her foster mother’s home. Whether it be through the physical abuse of Diane, who would beat Cupcake, or Connie that would physically abuse her through the use of fire she was being subjected to constant negative stimuli. The third form of strain occurs when failure to achieve goal, and views the situation to lack fairness. In Cupcakes case this takes place when she cannot achieve her goal of leaving Diane’s home to be reunited with her daddy, and …show more content…
Hirschi’s and Gottfredson self-control theory attributes crime or deviant behavior to an individual that is self-interested. In this theory the individual is extremely self-centered, seeking immediate satisfaction of their desires, all while ignoring the suffering of others around them. Throughout the book Cupcakes low self-control gives way to her engaging in deviant behavior where she seeks to get or remain high. Anything that will immediately get her high is the drug of her choice, she just simply needs it to be at her instantaneous disposal. Not only will she take anything to get high she will do anything easy to get high, In the book she sold her possessions stole from various people and sold herself as it was the easy way to obtain the money she needed to get high without having to work. Her low self-control is a product of the parenting she seized to receive when her mother died, and her lack of exposure to social institutions in the form of school. This lack of self-control means she resorts to high alcohol and drug use, where her main motivator is obtaining instant gratification. She is in the constant look for any form of pleasure so as to avoid the harm that has been done to