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General strain theory (GST) is a theory of criminology developed by Robert Agnew. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] General strain theory has gained a significant amount of academic attention since being developed in 1992. [ 4 ]
Strain theory has received several criticisms, such as: [19] [20] Strain theory best applies only to the lower class as they struggle with limited resources to obtain their goals. Strain theory fails to explain white collar crime, the perpetrator of whom have many opportunities to achieve through legal and legitimate means.
"A general strain theory of community differences in crime rates." Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 36:123-155 (1999) "Building on the foundation of general strain theory: Specifying the types of strain most likely to lead to crime and delinquency." Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 38(4):319-352 (2001)
Criticism has also pointed to the lack of testability of the general theory. [129] While much research has been done to correlate race, income level and crime frequency , typically of less serious criminal behavior such as theft or larceny, research has shown there to be no significant correlation between race, income level and crime seriousness .
Criminologist Robert Agnew attempted to understand the difference between men's and women's crime rates through General Strain theory. He theorized that men and women experienced different types of strain (pressure or stress, be it physical, financial, emotional, etc.) and responded accordingly.
The general component of strain theory states that the allocation of rewards does not promote obedience, and that rewards are challenging and uncommon for those with little formal education and few economic resources. [11] In its entirety, particular strains or pressures, according to strain theories, enhance the chance of crime.
Robert K. Merton discussed deviance in terms of goals and means as part of his strain/anomie theory. Where Durkheim states that anomie is the confounding of social norms, Merton goes further and states that anomie is the state in which social goals and the legitimate means to achieve them do not correspond.
This theory is commonly used in the study of criminology (specifically the strain theory). In 1938, Merton's "Social Structure and Anomie", one of the most important works of structural theory in American sociology, Merton's basic assumption was that the individual is not just in a structured system of action but that his or her actions may be ...