Anomie and Strain Theory When people get mad they act bad Agnew Group Activity What is the American Dream How do we achieve the American Dream Can everyone achieve the American Dream Why or why not What happens when people feel like they cannot achieve the American Dream Strain Theory One of the most theoretically explored paradigms in criminology Policy basis for War on Crime during 1960s Legacies of strain theory include preschool programs legal aid clinics and voter registration outreach Anomie Strain Theory Durkheim late 19th century French sociologist Merton late 1930s American sociologist Durkheim Basis for strain theory Propositions physical Propositions One of the most influential social theorists of all time Idea that social forces cause crime was very radical at the time Published Suicide in 1897 Humans have innate needs and desires that must be satisfied to be content most are social not Humans always want MORE and set unattainable goals Human nature must be regulated by the collective order of society consensus perspective Population growth industrialization and urbanization occurred quickly so social control was inadequate Propositions Confusion over social norms leads to anomie a condition in which traditional norms no longer seem to apply but new norms haven t been established People s goals can t be met which leads to higher crime rates and suicide From Durkheim s Suicide Whenever one s needs require more than what can be granted or even merely something of a different sort they will be under continual friction and only function painfully The more one has the more one wants A regulative force must play the same role for moral needs as it plays for physical needs Society alone is the only moral power superior enough to do this It alone can estimate the rewards to be proffered for every human endeavor When society is disturbed by some crisis or abrupt transition it is momentarily incapable of exercising this influence thence the sudden rises in suicides as we have seen So long as the social forces freed have not gained equilibrium their respective values are unknown and all regulation is lacking for a time The limits are unknown between the possible and the impossible what is just and what is unjust legitimate hopes and claims and those which are immoderate Consequently there is no restraint upon aspirations Appetites not controlled by public opinion become distorted and more impatient of control A condition of anomie results from passions being less disciplined precisely when they need more disciplining Merton s Anomie Theory Revived Durkheim s concept of anomie While Durkheim saw anomie as the result of sudden and rapid social change Merton saw anomie as a feature of the everyday operations of society American society Goals versus means of achieving goals The most important goal is material success but the means of achieving goals are not equal to Some groups in society find the normal or conventional means blocked or closed to them Merton all Merton Misconception Anyone who is honest and hardworking will be successful Blocked goals lead to anomie normlessness which produces strain Adaptations to Strain Conformity Innovation Ritualism Retreatism Rebellion Research and Criticisms Some empirical validity but very complex future research needed Not much agreement on appropriate ways to measure strain Led to development of additional strain theories Research and Criticisms Innovation and the lower class focus on street crime biases in the CJS Ignores white collar and corporate crime Drug addicts and alcoholics are also found in the elite addiction may cause more crime Individuals are influenced by interactions with other people crime is not just to obtain success Not everyone is materialistic Cohen s Strain Theory Subculture Merton doesn t explain crime that occurs just for the fun of it Class based status frustration is the origin of subcultures Cohen s focus is on school based achievement status Cohen 1955 also for status Cohen 1955 Studied lower class male delinquent gangs Delinquent subcultures possess five main characteristics 1 Non utilitarian often commit crime for no reason for the hell of it 2 Maliciousness just plain mean vandalism Cohen 1955 3 Negativism turn norms upside down 4 Short term hedonism immediate gratification 5 Group autonomy defy authority Dominant U S culture middle class values self control ambition academic occupational Lower class children may be socialized differently and often do not do as well in school Lower class boys look for a collective solution rejection of middle class values and formation of Why do these subcultures form success good manners etc Schools are governed by middle class values Why do these subcultures form Strain is produced which results in status frustration Why do these subcultures form delinquent subculture In gangs boys can achieve status and prove masculinity Research and Criticisms Many other subcultural theories Limited empirical validity many criticisms understood outside of the gang Research and Criticisms Most lower class males DO NOT join gangs Much gang activity is utilitarian calculated and non malicious serves a purpose even if not Dismisses female offending as minor and limited to sexual deviance Once again ignores crimes committed by the upper class Cloward and Ohlin s Differential Opportunity Theory 1960 Accepted Merton s arguments material success members of deprived groups become frustrated and may resort to illegitimate means to attain success But why doesn t everyone who experiences stress or strain innovate commit crimes Differential Opportunity Theory The answer differential access to illegitimate opportunities Opportunity is the intervening variable The motivation must be there along with an environment conducive to learning deviance and having the opportunity Research and Criticisms Focus on lower class male youth in large urban areas Problems overlooks violations of law by members of other classes No mention of female delinquency Agnew s General Strain Theory 1992 their conception of what constitutes strain There are MANY types or sources of strain Agnew s General Strain Theory Earlier forms of strain theory fail to receive much empirical support because they are limited in Three main categories of strain all produce anger frustration and could lead to C D 1 Failure to achieve positively valued goals similar to Durkheim and Merton Agnew s General Strain Theory 2 Denial or removal of