Strain Theory Essay - 1657 Words

Strain Theory Bigger Thomas, a young African American male, Twenty years old; vicious, vile and mean; he hates himself and all human society, especially that part of society which he attributes to making him a monster. Bigger Thomas is in rebellion on what he views as the white caste system; his crime is targeted at white society and the people that he views as being his oppressors. Bigger has the choice of taking on three roles, he can take on the role passivity designed for him by the southern whites and resolve his personal conflicts through the emotional catharsis of religion; or he can strive for and establish his own middle class society and thereby consciously or unconsciously become the white mans accomplice in oppression;†¦show more content†¦He also thought that in order for him to become noticeable in society he would have to become someone with no limits, almost godlike. The only way for him to enact this image was to have control over his life and the life of others, and t hats what induced him into a life of crime and murder. He was inevitably going to become a criminal, he was young, poor, and felt trapped in a society that was not concerned with his best interests. A man with nothing to lose or so it seemed, was ready to go out into the streets of Chicago and claim the lives of those who interfered with his existence as a decent human being. Crimes of hate, crimes of passion, crimes of economic gain, crimes of retribution, crimes of reciprocity, or just crimes of notoriety, were the positions that Bigger Thomas were left to define. He sought to fulfill the dreamlike fantasy of being on top of the economic ladder, and overcoming the status that his fate had entailed. The American dream, crazily sought after, rarely achieved, is what some theorist may say. People of the lower class or should I say of all socioeconomic classes have this preconceived notion that the American Dream is attainable if you just work hard and believe in the system. Howe ver, the strain and anomie theories prove otherwise. People of all different background share this eager desire to obtain the status of the economically elite, but for some it is consideredShow MoreRelatedThe Structural Strain Theory Has Occurred1040 Words   |  5 Pagesmeans, the structural strain theory has occurred. A mismatch that occurs between legitimate means and socially-promoted goals has a typology of responses in the strain theory. Merton’s typology extends the functionalist perspective. He believed that larger deviancy rates were because of social conditions and the varying responses. One of the responses to social strain that accepts legitimate means of pursuing socially-promoted goals is conformity. Another response to social strain is ritualism. PeopleRead MoreCrime Theories: Strain Theory, Social Bond Theory, and Differential-Association Theory957 Words   |  4 Pageseven why something is. In the case of criminology the main question being asked is †Å"why does crime occur?†, but some theories also attempt to answer another equally interesting question â€Å"if being a criminal is the easy choice, why are so many people law abiding?† in order to understand criminal behavior. In order for a hypothesis to be moved forward into the category of a theory it must first be tested, and those tests must be able to be reconfirmed. In the case of criminology most of this testingRead MoreStrain Theory878 Words   |  4 PagesStrain Theory I have chosen to write about Robert Merton’s Strain Theory. I find this theory particularly interesting, especially as it relates to crime and even education. As noted in our book Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, the definition of strain theory is that people feel strain when they are exposed to cultural goals that they are unable to obtain because they do not have access to culturally approved means of achieving those goals (Kendall 164). For example, if your goal is obtainingRead MoreStrain Theory Essay1361 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Agnew is known for his general strain theory. The theory explains that the basis of people getting involved in criminal activity is because of strain. If someone becomes upset, frustrated, depressed, or mistreated they will turn to crime in order to deal with the feelings. Yet, not all people turn to crime in order to deal with strain or stressors. There are different ways to measure strain. Subjective strains are those strains that are disliked by particular person or group. This approachedRead MoreThe Theory And General Strain Theory1262 Words   |  6 PagesA theory is described, as an idea or set of ideas generally intended to explain, to prove facts or events. Theory can be an idea that is suggested or presented as possibly true, that is not an ideas that relates to a particular subject (Merriam-Webster, 2015). Theory is an explanation of something. Theories in criminal behavior explains why an individual commits criminal and delinquent acts. This paper will compare and contrast two theories of crime or criminal activities that was discuss in thisRead MoreStrain Theory Essay995 Words   |  4 PagesThe book â€Å"Crime and the American Dream† is an example of the Strain Theory. Social class and living conditions are some of the factors that increases the vulnerability of a certain group to commit crimes. People are eager to be part of the ideology of the dream that the United States has to offer. The United States promise people that if they form part of the American society they will be successful and have the opportunities that they did not have in their home country. Most people believe thatRead MoreWhat is Strain Theory?1306 Words   |  5 PagesStrain theory is a criminological theory positing that a gap between culturally approved goals and legitimate means of achieving them cause’s frustration that leads to criminal behavior. Strain (structural strain) refers generally to the processes by which inadequate regulation at the societal level filters down to how individual perceives his or her needs. Strain (individual strain) refers to the frictions and pains experienced by the individuals as they look for ways to meet their needs (the motivationalRead MoreLabeling Theory And Strain Theory3368 Words   |  14 Pages Michael Byrnes Cindy Moore Theories of Criminal Behavior 11/16/14 Labeling Theory and Strain Theory: John Dillinger â€Æ' Introduction: Throughout history there have always been many different theories of crime and why people commit crimes. In the late 1930s a new theory rose to the forefront; this theory was called the anomie theory. Anomie means a lack of ethical standards. The anomie theory was proposed by Roberton Merton. It stated that society, as a whole, generally shares the same goals relatingRead MoreThe Theory Of General Strain Theory Essay1831 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction In the 1980’s, Criminologist, Robert Agnew, presented his theory of general strain, in which he covers a range of negative behaviors, especially how adolescents deal with stresses of strain. General strain theory focuses on the source, such as anything that changes in the individual’s life that causes strain. His theory provides a different outlook on social control and social learning theory for two reasons: the type of social relationship that leads to delinquency and the motivationRead MoreMerging Agnews General Strain Theory and Hirschis Social Bond Theory 1913 Words   |  8 PagesThe two theories I have decided to merge are Agnew’s General Strain Theory and Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory. I picked General Strain Theory because it does a good job at discussing some of the things that can trigger the release of a person’s negative emotions which in turn may lead to deviant behavior. I also decided to write about Social Bond Theory because it desc ribes some of the factors that keep people from committing crime. Both of the theories have strengths and weaknesses individually, but