Strain Theories Flashcards
What are the 2 types of societies according to Durkheim and how do they move?
Mechanical societies- Simple distribution of labor: everyone agrees on social roles
Organic societies- Highly specific division of labor
Society moves from mechanical to organic
What is collective conscience? Which society is it stronger in?
the totality of beliefs and sentiments common to average citizens of the same society (stronger in mechanical societies)
What are the purposes of punishments in the organic and mechanical societies
Mechanical- To reinforce the conformity of the group
Organic- To regulate people’s interactions and provide restitution to those who’ve been harmed
Why does Durkheim say crime is normal in society?
-Crime defines society’s moral boundaries
-Identification of rule breakers creates a bond among society’s rule-following members
What is Durkheim’s Anomie Theory?
When society goes through an abrupt change, society is unable to regulate people’s desires and expectations
With a weak collective conscience, people’s selfish desires can flourish which causes a state of anomie
Abrupt change –> Anomie –> Crime
Anomie = more crime
What is anomie?
A state of normlessness (Pandemic, economic meltdown, industrial revolution)
What is Merton’s Strain Theory?
If there is frustration (strain) when there is a disjoint between the goal of society and the legitimate means for achieving those goals
What are the 5 adaptations?
Conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, rebellion
What are the goals and means of all the adaptations?
Conformity- Goals: +, Means: +
Innovation- Goals: +, Means: -
Ritualism- Goals: -, Means: +
Retreatism- Goals: -. Means: -
Rebellion- Create new goals and means
Which adaptations are most likely to be criminogenic?
Innovation, retreatism, and rebellion
What are the strengths of Merton’s Theory?
-Accounts for both macro and micro level factors
-There is support for the idea that inequality in a community is related to crime rates, especially homicide
What are the weaknesses of Merton’s Theory?
-Doesn’t explain age crime curve (why crime falls off at age 24)
-Hard to pin a direct relationship between strain and crime without looking at the influence of other variables
-Doesn’t explain crime committed by those who are not experiencing economic strain
What is Messer and Rosenfeld’s Institutional Anomie Theory?
When the economy is the dominant institution in society and the other institutions are undervalued, crime will be higher than in societies where the economy is less dominant
What is Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory?
other frustrations that individuals experience than failure to achieve the American Dream and these frustrations are relevant to crime (failure to achieve goals, presence of negative stimuli, removal of positive stimuli)
What strains are more likely to lead to crime?
Strains that are:
-High in magnitude
-Unfair/unjust
-Associated with low social control
-Creates pressure for criminal coping
