limitations of general strain theory

Aggressive children may also frustrate their peers and teachers, leading to social rejection. Strain theory is a sociology and criminology theory developed in 1938 by Robert K. Merton. 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). Strain theory. First, they argue that the gender gap in crime is related, in part, to the different types of strain that are experienced by males and females. These findings support previous theoretical arguments that linked angry arousal to cognitive processes that promote aggression. (2001) find that schools harboring a relatively high percentage of angry students tend to have high rates of aggressive behavior, especially fights between students. Registered office: Creative Tower, Fujairah, PO Box 4422, UAE. Likewise, the gender gap in offending may reflect gender differences in the experience of, and reaction to, strain, but unanticipated findings in this area of research suggest that the gendered pathways may be more complex than originally specified (De Coster & Zito, 2010). This variation was said to be function of criminal opportunity. How does the strain theory explain crime? As Agnew (2013) observes, the coping process is very complex: [The] examination of the coping process is difficult. GST was designed primarily to explain why individuals differ in their levels of crime and delinquency. Robert King Merton in 1938 used the idea of anomie to help develop the foundation for strain theory. Although none of the programs are explicitly based on strain theory, they deal with three major types of strain noted in general strain theory. The experience of chronic or repeated strain, in particular, may weaken relationships with conventional others and therefore result in low social control. The link was not copied. Agnew (1992) states that despite criticism from distinguished theorists such as Travis Hirschi, strain theory can be vital in the explanation of some delinquency, although to do so effectively, strain theory needs revision. This book provides a useful summary of GST, although it no longer reflects the latest developments in the formulation or testing of the theory. This fact complicates the testing of GST because not all strains are created equal. Hundreds of studies have been published that test some aspect of GST or that apply GST to crime, delinquency, or other deviant behaviors. Certain school-level measures (such as perceived fairness) predicted delinquency at the individual level, but others did not (such as school problems). Young people in inner-city communities may also have a tendency to cope with strain in a delinquent manner, given both a lack of coping resources and limited options for legal coping. 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. 6 How does the strain theory explain crime? 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. Relatively few studies have examined intervening processes that involve factors other than emotions. A majority of life circumstances can lead individuals to create a crime from their negative emotions, such as frustration and anger. People differ in their response to strain and only some strained individualsperhaps a small percentage of strained individualsrespond with offending behavior. What are the weaknesses of the strain theory? As stated earlier, the strains that are said to be most relevant to crime and delinquency tend to be those seen as unjust and high in magnitude (severe, frequent, of a chronic nature, and of central importance to the individual). 9 Why was the strain theory important in the 1940s? What are the 5 reactions to strain? General Strain Theory has a greater theoretical sophistication than its traditional counterpart, not only in terms of specifying different types of strain but, most importantly, in recognizing the relationship between the individual and society is more-complex than that suggested by writers like Merton. Can't escape noxious stimuli. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UKEssays.com. In hindsight, these mixed results may not be surprising. Jang and Song (2015) observe that subjective strain fully mediates the impact of objective strain on the delinquency of middle-school students. This test is important because it assessed the possibility of a reciprocal relationship between strain and delinquency. As result, adolescents are more likely to respond to strain in an immature and ineffective manner. GST, then, is distinguished from other criminological theories by the central role it assigns to negative emotions in the etiology of offending (Agnew, 1995a). Previous empirical tests of general strain theory support this theory, but their shortcomings preclude the drawing of definitive conclusions. Theoretically, strain should generate negative emotions that arise in direct response to adverse events or situations. Agnew (1992) developed GST, in part, in response to the criticisms leveled against classic strain theories. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 38, 319-361. Agnew describes that by removing a positively valued stimuli it has the potential to cause strain. (Broidy 2001:). In longitudinal analyses that controlled for levels of social control, delinquent peers, and prior behavior, they find that delinquency is predicted by negative life events, negative relations with adults, school/peer hassles, and neighborhood problems. Giordano, Schroeder, and Cernkovich (2007) follow a sample of adolescents into adulthood and observe that changes in trait-based anger are associated with changes in offending even after controlling for social bonds, prior behavior, and other variables. Consequently, tests of GST that fail to distinguish between situation- and trait-based emotions could be problematic. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Criminology, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, Explaining the Relationship Between Strain and Offending, Explaining Differential Responses to Strain, Beyond Individual Differences in Offending, Explaining Persistent Offending Across the Life Course, Explaining Community Differences in Crime, Evidence on Strain and Persistent Offending, Evidence Linking Strain to Community-Level Differences, Review of the Literature and Further Sources, https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264079.013.249, A Social Interactionist Approach to Violent Crime, Institutional Anomie Theory Across Nation States, Global Developments in Policing Provision in the 21st Century. According the GST, the trait of aggressiveness helps to fuel persistent antisocial behavior for at least three reasons. As a result, they have less to lose by engaging in delinquent responses to strain. 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. In a national sample of male adolescents, it was observed that angry arousal exerts both direct and indirect effects on violent behavior. Such traits are said to interfere with the development of strong attachments to conventional others and other stakes in conformity. At the same time, however, opportunities for achieving monetary success are distributed unevenly in society. The full potential of these revisions has yet to evaluated, as few studies have fully incorporated the recommended specifications. Too deterministic- a lot of working class people experience crime but not all deviate. To illustrate, these conditions are often faced by adolescents, which may help to explain why adolescents exhibit high rates of offending relative to other age groups in the population (Agnew & Brezina, 2015). Adolescents often lack conventional coping skills and resources, such as money, power, and social skills. A variety of explanations have been offered to account for this gender gap in offending. Overhaul of Merton's Strain Theory. General Strain theory in my opinion is parsimonious in its general explanation of why strain causes crime, but latent variables such as gender, age, race, neighborhood, and other factors make it complicated when it boils down to experimental testing. 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. To advance research in this area, Agnew (2013) now recommends that quantitative studies be based on samples that contain a sizable number of individuals who possess a strong propensity to offend. In certain neighborhoods, for instance, strained youth have access to illegal markets and exposure to experienced criminals (criminal role models). We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. 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. The findings of the study suggest that the main direction of the casual relationship flows from strain to delinquency. Highlighting the subjective evaluation of fairness, Rebellon and colleagues (2012) observe that the perceived injustice of social relations is a potent predictor of delinquency (see also Scheuerman, 2013). Evidence indicates that males are more likely than females to experience certain strains conducive to crime, such as violent victimization, and that this difference partly explains gender differences in offending (e.g., Hay, 2003). GST, then, greatly expands the notion of goal-blockage and recognizes that individuals pursue a variety of goals beyond economic success or middle-class status. For this reason, unfulfilled aspirations may not be a key source of strain or 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). 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