limitations of general strain theory

What is the assumption of strain theories? Moreover, in urban communities with high rates of male joblessness, the effect of individual-level stress on delinquency was magnified. Certain strains that fall into this categorysuch as racial discriminationhave been neglected by other theories. Too deterministic; not all working class individuals resort to crime. We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. General strain theory is an individualistic approach (Froggio 2007): it explains why individuals demonstrate deviant behavior. Disadvantages. This would let the researchers look at various factors that cause strain firsthand, by doing interviews and surveys more frequently. Since wealth in American is not distributed equally Merton (1938) argued that strain often occurs for those who are undercapitalized and do not have access to these legitimate means. These differences, in turn, are linked to the gender gap in delinquent involvement. Moreover, Froggio (2007), argues that surveys in the future should incorporate Agnews assumptions of when crime is most likely to occur. Why, for example, do some communities have especially high rates of crime and violence? In response to inconsistent empirical findings, Agnew (2001, 2013) has further specified the types of strain that are relevant to offending as well as the factors that are said to condition the effects of strain on crime. Further, during the period of adolescence, young people experience a number of biological and social changes that are believed to reduce their levels of social control (Agnew & Brezina, 2015). Yet, whereas Cohen emphasized the rebellious nature of much juvenile delinquency, Cloward and Ohlin highlighted the variety of adaptations that can be observed across neighborhoods. Robert King Merton in 1938 used the idea of anomie to help develop the foundation for strain theory. These chronic, high-rate offenders typically exhibit highly aggressive behavior as young children, engage in high levels of delinquency during adolescence, and persist in serious offending as they grow older (Moffitt, 1993). *You can also browse our support articles here >. Although the theory has been examined by many and enjoys empirical support, some limitations of previous studies need to be addr. Agnew (1992), however, argues that other types of goal blockage are important and may have a stronger relationship to crime and delinquency. A negative affect such as anger, is likely to lead an individual to take corrective steps to quell their anger. Slocum (2010) examines longitudinal data on substance use and finds partial support for the GST explanation of continuity and change. Although Merton outlined several possible ways individuals may cope with strain, one response is to pursue monetary success through illegitimate or illegal means, such as drug sales or theft. According to Bernard (1990), angry/frustrated individuals often have difficulty trusting others, attribute hostile motives to strangers, and view aggression as appropriate or justifiable in many different circumstances (see also Agnew, 2006). In certain neighborhoods, for instance, strained youth have access to illegal markets and exposure to experienced criminals (criminal role models). In particular, strain appears to reduce social control and increase involvement with delinquent peers, thereby resulting in elevated rates of offending (see also Brezina, 1998). What are the strengths and weaknesses of Mertons strain theory? Weaknesses One weakness of the strain theory is that it does only focus on the middle and lower classes of society. This anger and frustration is thought to be an important source of deviant motivation and is said to be a function of severe and persistent strains. Consequently, tests of GST that fail to distinguish between situation- and trait-based emotions could be problematic. Printed from Oxford Research Encyclopedias, Criminology and Criminal Justice. These negative emotions, in turn, are said to create pressures for corrective action, with crime or delinquency being one possible response. These include strains that are high in magnitude (severe, frequent, of long duration, or involving matters of high importance to the individual), are seen as unjust and associated with low social control, and they can be readily resolved through crime. (Note: the work of Merton also suggests that strain contributes to anomie, or a sense that the traditional rules no longer apply. The data indicate that children who obtain high scores on a combined measure of negative emotionality/low constraint tend to report elevated levels of illicit drug use during adolescence and adulthood, controlling for other relevant variables. These articles provide researchers with many helpful suggestions for testing GST. How to Market Your Business with Webinars. The theory explains that it is the social structures that influence a person to commit a crime. Also, while early tests of GST typically examined the relationship between strain and general delinquency, the theory has since been applied to a variety of specific deviant behaviors. Durkheims theory was based upon the idea that the lack of rules and clarity resulted in psychological status of worthlessness, frustration, lack of purpose, and despair. The third major type of strain involves the loss of positively valued stimuli. These strains may involve one-time events, are not likely to be blamed on others, are not easily resolved by engaging in crime, and thus generate little pressure for criminal coping. Other theorists emphasize the role of socialization, arguing that males are more likely to engage in crime because they have internalized masculine values that are conducive to crime and violence, such as competition and aggressiveness (Agnew & Brezina, 2015). An example of this source of strain would be when an outcome of a situation conflicts with what the individual believed they deserved. The strain theories of Merton, Cohen, and Cloward and Ohlin were influential throughout much of the 20th century and helped to inspire antipoverty efforts. The initial statement of GST (Agnew, 1992), which constituted a more fully developed version of the revised theory, was published several years later under the title, Foundation for a General Strain Theory of Delinquency. This initial statement was followed by several revisions and extensions of GST, including articles that specified gender differences in response to strain (Broidy & Agnew, 1997), the macro-level implications of GST (Agnew, 1999), the types of strain that are most relevant to crime (Agnew, 2001), and that further specified the conditions under which strain will have a greater or lesser effect on crime (Agnew, 2013). The emotion of anger plays a special role in GST because it is believed to be especially conducive to crime and violence. (Sub)cultural theories (Cohen 1955;Ogbu 1978;Willis 1977), on. A test of general strain theory. Criminology, 39, 9-36 . Strain theory Strain theory is the state of a variety in certain strains and stressors in a person's life that increases the likelihood of crime. 6 How does the strain theory explain crime? Few studies have assessed the qualities of particular strains as they are experienced by the individual. Aggressive children may also frustrate their peers and teachers, leading to social rejection. It is beyond the scope of this article to consider every relevant study. Furthering Mertons ideas in 1994, Messer and Rosenfeld expanded on idea of the American Dream as an origin of criminality. Continuing Relevance. A measure of traditional strain, which indexed the respondents perceived chances of going to college and getting a good job, failed to exert a significant effect on future delinquency. As Agnew (2013) observes, the coping process is very complex: [The] examination of the coping process is difficult. Although Broidy (2001) suggests that the non random sample is not ideal, being neither representative of all college students nor representative to the population as a whole is useful for the purpose of this test. First, aggressive individuals have a propensity to interpret any given situation as frustrating and to blame others for their frustration. According to social disorganization theories, these communities have the lost the ability to control their members due, in part, to the inadequate supervision of young people (e.g., Sampson, Raudenbush, & Earls, 1997). Certain school-level measures (such as perceived fairness) predicted delinquency at the individual level, but others did not (such as school problems). 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. Disclaimer: This is an example of a student written essay.Click here for sample essays written by our professional writers. LIMITATION: Because GST is so diverse, researchers are unsure which strains to study. It has been suggested that, in response to strain, females are more likely to blame themselves or worry about possible harm to interpersonal relationships. However, Froggio (2007) argues that despite evidence of correlation between delinquency and assumptions of General Strain Theory, the correlation is not clear cut in that many of the surveys conducted were limited. Although it was anticipated that strain would have a stronger effect on violence in neighborhoods characterized by low social control, the findings did not support such a pattern. Strain may lead to other negative emotions, foster beliefs favorable to crime, reduce social control, and increase attraction to delinquent peers. (2) Strain as the disjunction between just or fair outcomes and actual outcome. Crime may be used to reduce or escape from strain, seek revenge against the source of strain or related targets, or alleviate negative emotions. Too much emphasis is placed on stats- overrepresentation of the lower classes. A criticism made by Bernard (1987), is that the strain . Further, the association between strain and future offending appears to be especially strong for individuals who possess an angry disposition. 8 What are the strengths and weaknesses of Mertons strain theory? Although the reason for this gendered response is not yet clear, several possibilities exist. This source looks beyond simply failing to achieve a goal of monetary success or doing well in school (Agnew 1992:53). General strain theorists recognize these factors, but they offer two additional reasons for the gender gap in crime and delinquency (Broidy & Agnew, 1997). Google Scholar. For example, their ties to parents and teachers may weaken as a result of disputes regarding curfews, dress, homework, and privileges. Overhaul of Merton's Strain Theory. Similar findings are reported by Jang and Song (2015) and Ousey, Wilcox, and Schreck (2015). 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). In the longitudinal analyses, however, strain did not predict drug use (although the effect was significant in cross-sectional analyses). Lacking access to caring adults, such youth may have difficulty dealing with the emotional consequences of strain in a productive manner. Durkheim argued that during rapid changes that take place in society, norms will breakdown. Purpose - The study aims to explore specific motivations, rationalizations and opportunities that are involved in the occurrences of both employee and management fraud in the context of an emerging African country, Tanzania. Crime and violence general strain theory can also browse our support articles >. 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