SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME - STRUCTURAL - STRAIN THEORY

Question 1

Explain what causes crime according to merton?

Answer 1

Merton’s Strain theory argues that crime is caused by the unequal structure of society.

Question 2

Explain how blocked opportunitues create a strain

Answer 2

due to poverty and inadequate schools create a ‘strain’ between the goal of money success and the lack of legitimate opportunities to achieve it.

Question 3

What is an innovator ?

Answer 3

innovators accept the goal but find criminal means of achieving it, for example bank robbers.

Question 4

what is ritualism ?

Answer 4

ritualists give up striving for money success, for example ‘plodding along’ in a dead-end job.

Question 5

what is retreatism?

Answer 5

retreatists reject the goal and means and ‘drop out’, for example vagrants and drug addicts.

Question 6

What is rebellion ?

Answer 6

rebels reject the goal and means and replace them with new ones, with the aim of changing society, for example alternative cultures such as hippies.

Question 7

what is a subculture and how does it lead to crime?

Answer 7

Subculture is where a dominant group emerges that does not conform to societies main goals. Subcultures enable their members to gain status by illegitimate means.

Question 8

what did Cohen focus on?

Answer 8

nonutilitarian crime such as vandalism and argues that deviance in the working class is a group response to ‘status frustration’. It begins in school when they are regarded as ‘thick’

Question 9

strength?

Answer 9

It explains why working-class crime rates may be higher than in other classes. Merton’s theory helps to explain official crime statistics.

Question 10

Weakness?

Answer 10

It takes an individualistic approach, ignoring group crime such as gang related crime influenced by subcultures and peers.