Strain Theory

Question 1

What is strain theory?

Answer 1

Crime occurs in result of strains and stressors

Question 2

In Durkheim’s crime and anomie, he stated that…

Answer 2

He said that social solidarity was essential to most societies. He also believed that without these norms, societies would function very poorly.

Question 3

When social cohesion breaks down and isolation is great, society loses its traditional social control mechanisms society suffers from ____________ (Durkheim)

Answer 3

High rate of crime

Question 4

Mertons Theory of the gap between between aspirations and means states..

Answer 4

Crime is the result of the gap between culturally prescribed aspirations and the socially structured means of realizing them

Question 5

Access to legitimate means (education and a good job) are difficult to get for poor and minority children so this results in…

Answer 5

Innovation. Usually deviance to achieve their legitimate means.

Question 6

What is the relation between strain and upper class crime?

Answer 6

• economic success is highly valued in North America pressuring people to make money with less emphasis on doing it through legitimate means
• this ideology is reinforced by the fact that corporate crime is not condemned as much as other types of crime
• North America produces higher levels of economic crime

Question 7

Kobrin pointed out that opportunities varied in different types of communities. What were they?

Answer 7

Stable Slum, transitory slum, and suburbia

Question 8

Stable slum

Answer 8

Lower class communities; legitimate and illegitimate opportunities ( gambling/ prostitution and stores/restaurants)

Question 9

Transitory slum

Answer 9

Decaying housing projects; minimal access to either type of opportunities because of fear of crime and lack of community life

Question 10

Suburbia

Answer 10

Legitimate but very few illegitimate