Merton's Strain Theory
Evaluate the contribution of strain theories to the understanding of crime and deviance
Merton (1938) believes that there is consensus within the society regarding the goals, and the structure of society has an impact on why people commit crime. As stated in item B, ‘Strain theories focus on the ways in which people may resort to crime or deviance when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means.’ This is proved by Merton as he argues that there are five types of subcultures and they have different tendencies towards strain. These are :- conformist, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion. This theory explains why different people commit different types of crimes, for example; innovators have the same goals …show more content…
As stated in Item B ‘American culture emphasises achieving success, but unequal structure limits some individuals’ to do so legitimately’. They argue that lower working class delinquents don't have the same goals and values as the rest of the society due to blocked opportunities which leads them to illegitimate career structures. The three subcultures that they are likely to join are criminal, conflict and retreatist. Criminal subculture arises in areas with well established adult crime patterns. Conflict subculture develops in areas that have low social cohesion and retreatist subculture is joined by people who have failed in illegal gangs.
Cloward and Ohlin agree with Cohen that working class youths deviate the most. They provide explanations for different types of deviance which Cohen doesn't.
However, Miller (1962) argues that the lower working class have their own subculture with different values of the mainstream society which doesn’t value success and thus the members are not frustrated by their status and deviance occurs when people try to achieve their own goals.
In conclusion, strain theories explain criminal groups as subcultures that from through a reaction of failure to achieve mainstream
Merton (1938) believes that there is consensus within the society regarding the goals, and the structure of society has an impact on why people commit crime. As stated in item B, ‘Strain theories focus on the ways in which people may resort to crime or deviance when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means.’ This is proved by Merton as he argues that there are five types of subcultures and they have different tendencies towards strain. These are :- conformist, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion. This theory explains why different people commit different types of crimes, for example; innovators have the same goals …show more content…
As stated in Item B ‘American culture emphasises achieving success, but unequal structure limits some individuals’ to do so legitimately’. They argue that lower working class delinquents don't have the same goals and values as the rest of the society due to blocked opportunities which leads them to illegitimate career structures. The three subcultures that they are likely to join are criminal, conflict and retreatist. Criminal subculture arises in areas with well established adult crime patterns. Conflict subculture develops in areas that have low social cohesion and retreatist subculture is joined by people who have failed in illegal gangs.
Cloward and Ohlin agree with Cohen that working class youths deviate the most. They provide explanations for different types of deviance which Cohen doesn't.
However, Miller (1962) argues that the lower working class have their own subculture with different values of the mainstream society which doesn’t value success and thus the members are not frustrated by their status and deviance occurs when people try to achieve their own goals.
In conclusion, strain theories explain criminal groups as subcultures that from through a reaction of failure to achieve mainstream