General Strain Theories

Improved Essays
General strain theory claims that strains or stressors increase the probability of negative emotions like anger and frustration. These emotions create pressure for corrective action, and crime is one likely response (Agnew1992). Robert Agnew, a Sociological researcher claims that hundreds of types of strain that fall under the major categories of strain listed.
“Strain refers to “relationships in which others are not treating the individual as he or she would like to be treated”
(Agnew, 1992)
Strains theory, viewed as unjust by other researchers. Strain theories, perceived as too high in magnitude to believe. Other theorist believes strain theories, associated with low social control and the pressures to commit crimes. Characteristics of

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Blow Social Strain Theory

    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Merton. The theory states that social structures may burden citizens to commit crimes. Strain may be organizational, which refers to the processes at the general level that trickle down and affect how the individual recognizes his or her needs. However, strain may also be individual, which refers to the resistances and pains experienced by an individual as he or she looks for ways to satisfy individual needs. For this purpose, these types of strain can propose public designs within society that then stress people to become criminals.…

    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The first application is an adaption of Merton’s classic strain theory in which strain can be developed through the failure to achieve positively valued goals. The inability to achieve of said goals leads to negative emotions and thinking. Causation of strain can also be the loss of positive stimuli, which can be in result of unattainability of goals or can stand alone as the sole causation of strain. More likely than unlikely, in the loss of those positive stimuli people tend to fill that void with negative toxic stimuli. To put in perspective, if a man loses his job (loss of positive stimuli) he may start up a drinking habit (negative stimuli).…

    • 1279 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Catch Me If You Can follows the young con artist called Frank William Abagnale Jr., as he escapes the misery of his parents’ divorce. From being a pilot to a lawyer to a doctor, Frank did this all before he was even 19, employing the tactics that he learned from his father. Frank is continually pursued by an FBI agent called Carl Handratty. Frank is also picked on at his new school for dressing up, which leads him to his first impersonation: a substitute teacher. When his parents are informed, his father is seemingly proud.…

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The theories are also similar in the fact that they are both cyclical. The strain theory is cyclical because it demonstrates the immigrants desire to reach the American dream. Due to the lack of opportunities afforded to them, they are unable to attain that dream. As a result, they have an inclination to resort to criminal activity as a means of attempting to achieve the American dream. Due to the lack of opportunities the immigrants are often pigeon holed into low income neighborhoods…

    • 466 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Robert Agnew Strain Theory

    • 1124 Words
    • 5 Pages

    I could relate several instances in mine or a loved one’s life to the handout Strain Theory by Robert Agnew. This reading brought several different events I have experienced or have watched a loved one go through. These things are not criminal in nature, well the first one would be, but they could be considered as deviant by some. I will relate my memories for each Strain that is mentioned in the reading.…

    • 1124 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Strain Theory Strain theory is a criminology theory that has multiple interpretations. At its core, the theory states that individuals commit crimes because there is a strain between the social expectations placed on individuals and the opportunities available to them. Thus, if there is a social expectation that individuals will be able to provide for themselves, but their communities do not provide them the opportunities necessary to find a good job, then they will resort to crimes in order to meet that goal. In the original strain theory, there were two types of strain, structural an individual (May et al, 2015).…

    • 938 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The social structure associated with white-collar crime is Strain Theory. Strain theory states pressures can force normal people to go outside of the law or conventional norms to reach goals that society has deemed important. Failing to reach these goal due to an unfair system, or lack of opportunity, can cause feelings of disillusionment and frustration. Acting out on these feeling will push the person into delinquent problem-solving known as anomie or normlessness. The concept of the anomie theory was introduced a year was introduced a year before the introduction of the concept of white collar crime.…

    • 1375 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Elements of the general strain theory which produce strain according to Agnew include, the failure to achieve goals, removal of positively valued stimuli, and the presentation of negative stimuli(Siegel and Welsh, 2014). Strain caused by the failure for a juvenile…

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Merton that strain theory, and crime is not created by society alone. Agnew, and Merton differ in their definition of strain theory in two ways; one being that Agnew takes a more individualist approach to strain theory, and Merton takes a more society based approach to explain crime (AGNEW, 1997, Pg. 50, & Merton, 1938, Pg.672). Agnew argues that Merton definition of strain theory is not able to explain why only some individuals do to their strain turn to crime/delinquency, and also that Merton definition neglects every other aspect of strains other than monetary (AGNEW, 1997, Pg. 50). Agnew ideal of strain theory is that immediate goals such as educational goals should also be taken into consideration when looking at strains that cause individuals to commit crimes (AGNEW, 1997, Pg. 72). Also that bad influence/stimuli, removal of positive values, and failure to achieve positive goals all create a strain on the individuals that can lead him or her into delinquency (AGNEW, 1997, Pg. 72).…

    • 836 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Exploring Criminality: Willie Bosket Criminological theories can be used to help understand potential causes of criminality like in the case of Willie Bosket, a young man that lead a troubled life and came from a troubled past. Fox Butterfield wrote a book entitled All God’s Children: The Bosket Family and The American Tradition of Violence in which he examines not only the life that lead to Willie Bosket being in solitary confinement for the rest of his life, but also the history that lead to Willie’s existence. One type of theory that can be used to identify reasons behind Willie’s behaviors are Strain Theory, a type of theory that suggests crime is rooted in discontent with one’s status- financial, social, or otherwise- a concept that,…

    • 1729 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Theories Of Hate Crime

    • 1590 Words
    • 7 Pages

    According to this strain theory, “criminal and deviant acts are one possible adaptation to stress. The three major types of deviance-producing strain are: failure to achieve positively valued goals, removal of positively valued stimuli, 30 and confrontation with negative stimuli.” (Akers & Sellers, 2013). When these groups of individual’s stressors are hit they react in an angry…

    • 1590 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In Agnew’s new strain theory, Merton shortcomings was address. According to Agnew, different form of strain causes people to attain negative feelings such as depression, anger, and fear. According to Agnew, people resort to crime when they are unable to cope with their negative emotions. In the strain theory, which explain that a person’s coping strategies is the primary factor of whether they are likely to participate in crime or…

    • 1778 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    This supports item A as it states 'a set of rules laid down by the state in the interest of the ruling class'. This is reflected in crime statistics; the most common offenders are young, black males between the ages of 15-21. A counter argument to this is the idea of Strain Theory developed by Robert Merton. Traditional Marxism argues that it is increased aggression and individualistic nature of the capitalist society that inspires individuals to commit crime, however Merton comments that it is Strain between goals and the legitimate means to achieve these goals that cause an individual to commit crime.…

    • 726 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    They both deal with the causation aspect of criminology. Both theories note that there are several contributing factors that lead to individuals committing crime, yet each theorist believes his reasoning reigns king. Many theories are formed based upon the effects of criminal behavior and activities, yet these two attempt to spear the root cause of such occurrences. Another similarity exhibited by these two theories is that they were replaced by either derived theories or psychological theories. In regards to the strain theory, several derived theories such as the General Strain theory and the Institutional Anomie Theory trace their roots back to the strain theory.…

    • 1553 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What is strain theory? Throughout history criminology,has used strain theory to explain and understand crime. Strain theory states that society may be pressuring citizens to commit crimes. Based on the work of Émile Durkheim, Strain Theories have been remodeled and improved upon by people such as Robert King Merton , Richard Cloward , Albert K. Cohen, and Robert Agnew, Lloyd Ohlin , Neil Smelser and Rosenfeld Steven, Messner and Richard. Strain may consist of either structural or individual.…

    • 1197 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays