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 crimes does general strain theory explain?
domestic abuse, sexual assault, and drug use as those crimes are not means to achieve an economic goal. Agnew’s revision of strain theory offers an explanation of the previously listed crimes as means of coping, albeit illegitimately, for the failure to achieve one’s goal.
What is the focus of strain theory?
Strain theories state that certain strains or stressors increase the likelihood of crime . These strains lead to negative emotions, such as frustration and anger. These emotions create pressure for corrective action, and crime is one possible response.
What are the key components of general strain theory?
According to Robert Agnew’ s General Strain Theory, strain is based on three different factors: failure to achieve a goal, the existence of harmful impulses, and the removal of positive impulses .
What is general strain theory?
General strain theory (GST) provides a unique explanation of crime and delinquency . In contrast to control and learning theories, GST focuses explicitly on negative treatment by others and is the only major theory of crime and delinquency to highlight the role of negative emotions in the etiology of offending.
What is an example of strain theory?
General strain theory (GST) is a sociology and criminology theory developed in 1992 by Robert Agnew. ... Examples of General Strain Theory are people who use illegal drugs to make themselves feel better , or a student assaulting his peers to end the harassment they caused.
Why is general strain theory important?
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. ... Crime is one possible response.
Is general strain theory a strong theory?
Robert Agnew’s general strain theory is considered to be a solid theory , has accumulated a significant amount of empirical evidence, and has also expanded its primary scope by offering explanations of phenomena outside of criminal behavior.
What are the weaknesses of general strain theory?
One of the major weaknesses of early versions of strain theory was that, following Merton’s general lead, “success” was conceived and measured in largely economic terms ; that is, the “success goal” was considered to be overwhelmingly related to the accumulation of money / wealth.
What is the most important negative emotion in general strain theory?
General Strain theory, according to Agnew (1992) “is distinguished by its focus on negative relationships with others and its insistence that such relationships lead to the delinquency through the negative affect – especially anger – they sometimes engender” (p.
What is classical strain theory?
Classical strain theory predicts that deviance is more likely to occur if one’s culturally determined aspirations for monetary success and the opportunity to achieve that success are not congruent.
How does general strain theory explain white collar crime in general?
This suggested that individuals reporting higher levels of strain were more likely to engage in SEC violations and false claims and statements. Strain had a significant and negative effect on antitrust, bribery , and tax fraud, which signified that more strain was inversely related to these white-collar crimes.
How does the strain theory explain deviance?
Strain theory explains deviant behavior as an inevitable outcome of the distress individuals experience when they’re deprived of ways to achieve culturally valued goals . ... This results in some individuals from the lower classes using unconventional or criminal means to obtain financial resources.
How does labeling theory explain crime?
According to labeling theory, official efforts to control crime often have the effect of increasing crime . Individuals who are arrested, prosecuted, and punished are labeled as criminals. Others then view and treat these people as criminals, and this increases the likelihood of subsequent crime for several reasons.
What are the 5 Clusters of Agnew’s General theory?
As stated previously, Agnew’s general theory posits that crime is caused by five clusters or life domains of variables, self, family, peers, school, and work .
Is general strain theory macro or micro?
Some criminologists view strain theory as a macro-level theory that explains variation in crime rates across space and time. To discriminate between the two, typically macro-level theory is referred to as anomie theory, and micro-level theory is referred to as strain theory. ...
