4 Criticisms of Anomie Theory. (1)
Criticism because of assumption that poor commit more crime than the non-poor
; (2) Does not explain violent crimes (i.e. homicide, assault, rape); (3) Fails to explain why people choose one adaptation over another; (4) Some empirical tests do not support the theory.
What criticisms or shortcomings do you see with strain theory?
Strain theory has received several criticisms, such as:
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.
What is the main concern of anomie criminal theory?
In criminology, the idea of anomie is that
the person chooses criminal activity because the individual believes that there is no reason not to
. In other words, the person is alienated, feels worthless and that their efforts to try and achieve anything else are fruitless.
Why is anomie a problem?
Breakdown of Ties That Bind People Together
Periods of anomie are
unstable, chaotic
, and often rife with conflict because the social force of the norms and values that otherwise provide stability is weakened or missing.
Which of the following is a weakness of Merton’s anomie theory?
One weakness of Merton’s theory of anomie/strain is that
it does not provide a good explanation for economic crimes
.
What’s an example of anomie?
For example,
if society does not provide enough jobs that pay a living wage so that people can work to survive, many will turn to criminal methods of earning a living
. So for Merton, deviance, and crime are, in large part, a result of anomie, a state of social disorder.
What is the first element of general strain theory?
Overview. General strain theory (GST) states that strains increase the likelihood of
crime
, particularly strains that are high in magnitude, are seen as unjust, are associated with low social control, and create some pressure or incentive for criminal coping.
What are the 5 reactions to strain?
Merton noted that the deviant response to strain was one of five responses he observed in society. He referred to such deviance as “innovation” while identifying the other responses to strain as
conformity, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion
.
What is Durkheim’s theory?
Durkheim believed that
society exerted a powerful force on individuals
. People’s norms, beliefs, and values make up a collective consciousness, or a shared way of understanding and behaving in the world. The collective consciousness binds individuals together and creates social integration.
Why was Merton’s theory criticized?
Criticisms of Strain Theory
Secondly, Merton’s reliance on official statistics means he
over-estimates the extent of working class crime and underestimates the extent of middle class
, or white collar crime. Thirdly, Strain theory only really explains economic crime, it doesn’t really explain violent crime.
What are the effects of anomie?
The disappearance of old principles of structure and order weakens social cohesion. As a result, general social rules are no longer observed; the collective order dissolves and a state of anomie emerges. The consequences of this are
increased suicide and crime rates
.
How does anomie cause crime?
Anomie was one cause of
deviance
: if people were not properly socialised into the shared norms and values of society, or if a society was changing so much that it was unclear what the shared norms and values were, then deviance (and hence crime) was much more likely.
What does anomie theory claim?
Merton’s anomie theory is that
most people strive to achieve culturally recognized goals
. A state of anomie develops when access to these goals is blocked to entire groups of people or individuals. The result is a deviant behaviour characterized by rebellion, retreat, ritualism, innovation, and/or conformity.
What are the strengths of Labelling theory?
- Shows that the Law is not a fixed set of rules to be taken for granted, but something whose construction we need to explain.
- It shows that the law is often enforced in discriminatory ways.
- Crime statistics are more a record of the activities of control agents than of criminals.
What are the strengths of general strain theory?
General strain theory can
be easy to subscribe to
due in part to its broad scope, and General Strain Theory unlike previous strain theories is able to focus on middle and lower class delinquency, rather than exclusively lower class like Merton.
What is the best definition of anomie?
Anomie, also spelled anomy, in societies or individuals,
a condition of instability resulting from a breakdown of standards and values or from a lack of purpose or ideals
.
