Delinquency and Juvenile Justice Exam 2

Strain Theory

1. Agnew's General Strain Theory (GST)

   1. Agnew's theory argues that individuals experience strain when they encounter stressful or negative situations. This strain creates negative emotions, especially anger, which can lead to delinquent behavior as a way to cope.

What does micro-level mean in Agnew's GST?

It focuses on individual experiences and how personal stressors, emotions, and reactions influence delinquency rather than focusing on society as a whole.

What are the three major sources of strain in Agnew's theory?

1. Failure to achieve positively valued goals.

2. Loss of positive stimuli.

3. Presentation of negative stimuli.

GST- What is failure to achieve positively valued goals?

When someone cannot achieve something they want or feel they deserve, creating frustration and disappointment.

• Example: A student works hard but does not get the grades or recognition they expected.

GSWT- What is loss of positive stimuli?

When something positive or meaningful is taken away from an individual.

• Example: Losing a loved one, a relationship ending, or losing a job.

GST- What is the presentation of negative stimuli?

When someone is exposed to something unpleasant or harmful.

• Example: Being bullied, experiencing abuse, or living in a stressful home environment.

GST- What is goal blockage?

When something prevents an individual from achieving a desired goal. The inability to reach the goal creates frustration and strain.

• Example: Someone wants financial success but feels blocked from achieving it through legitimate opportunities.

GST- How does strain lead to delinquency?

Strain creates negative emotions such as anger, frustration, depression, and resentment. Individuals may turn to delinquency as a way to release emotions, retaliate, or obtain something they cannot achieve legitimately.

Why is anger especially important in Agnew's theory?

Anger can create a desire for revenge and reduce inhibitions, making individuals more likely to engage in delinquent behavior to cope with their strain.

Does everyone who experiences strain become delinquent?

No. People respond differently to strain depending on their coping abilities, personal characteristics, available resources, and social support.

What is the difference between Merton's and Agnew's strain theories?

Merton focuses on societal inequality and the gap between cultural goals and legitimate opportunities (macro-level).

Agnew focuses on individual stressful experiences and the negative emotions they produce (micro-level).

What is coping with strain?

The ways individuals respond to and manage stressful experiences to prevent negative emotions from leading to delinquent behavior.

What are the three types of coping skills?

Behavioral coping, emotional coping, and cognitive coping.

What is behavioral coping?

Taking physical or practical action to deal with a stressful situation.

• Example: Talking to a counselor, exercising, or confronting a problem appropriately instead of fighting.

What is emotional coping?

Managing emotional reactions to stressful experiences.

• Example: Deep breathing, journaling, or talking to a trusted friend when feeling angry.

What is cognitive coping?

Changing the way you think about or interpret a stressful situation.

• Example: Reminding yourself that one bad grade does not determine your future.

What are coping skills as conditioning factors?

Factors that influence whether strain leads to delinquency.

Individuals with effective coping skills and support systems may be less likely to respond to strain through delinquent behavior.

How do coping skills influence the relationship between strain and delinquency?

Strong coping skills can weaken the relationship between strain and delinquency because individuals have healthier ways to manage stress. Poor coping skills can make delinquency more likely.

What is negative treatment?

Unpleasant or harmful treatment from others, such as bullying, rejection, abuse, or discrimination. It can create strain and negative emotions that increase the likelihood of delinquency.

How can negative treatment lead to delinquency?

Someone who experiences repeated negative treatment may develop anger, resentment, or frustration and respond through aggression, retaliation, or other delinquent behaviors.

What is Merton's Strain Theory (1938)?

Merton argued that society encourages everyone to pursue culturally valued goals, such as financial success, but not everyone has equal access to legitimate ways of achieving those goals. This gap creates strain and can lead to deviance.

Why is Merton's theory considered macro-level?

It focuses on society as a whole, including social structures, inequality, cultural expectations, and unequal access to opportunities.

What are cultural goals?

The goals and achievements that society teaches people to value, such as wealth, success, education, and social status.

What are institutionalized or legitimate means?

Socially accepted ways of achieving cultural goals, such as education, hard work, employment, and following the law.

What creates strain in Merton's theory?

The disconnect between society's expectations for success and an individual's access to legitimate opportunities to achieve that success.

Why might someone turn to crime according to Merton?

They may strongly desire culturally valued goals, such as wealth, but lack access to legitimate opportunities, leading them to use illegitimate methods to achieve those goals.

What are Merton's five adaptations to strain?

1. Conformity. 2. Innovation. 3. Ritualism. 4. Retreatism. 5. Rebellion.

What is conformity?

Accepting society's cultural goals and using legitimate means to achieve them.

• Example: Someone who wants financial success and attends college to obtain a good job.

• Check society Check legit means to achieve

What is innovation?

Accepting society's cultural goals but rejecting legitimate means of achieving them. Instead, individuals use illegitimate methods.

• Example: Someone who wants to become wealthy but turns to robbery or drug dealing.

• Check society X legit means to achieve

What is ritualism?

Rejecting or lowering society's cultural goals but continuing to follow legitimate means and rules.

• Example: Someone who gives up on becoming wealthy but continues working a regular job and following the rules.

• X society Check legal means to achieve

What is retreatism?

Rejecting both society's cultural goals and legitimate means of achieving them.

• Example: Someone who withdraws from conventional society and may turn to substance abuse or homelessness

What is rebellion?

Rejecting existing cultural goals and legitimate means and attempting to replace them with entirely new goals and systems.

• Example: Someone who participates in a movement to replace the existing social and economic structure.

Which of Merton's adaptations is the most common deviant adaptation?

Innovation. Individuals still want society's definition of success but use illegitimate methods to achieve it.

What is the difference between innovation and rebellion?

Innovation accepts society's existing goals but uses illegitimate means to reach them.

Rebellion rejects existing goals and means and seeks to replace them.

What is Social Learning Theory?

The theory that delinquent behavior is learned through interactions with others, exposure to behavior, and the rewards or punishments associated with that behavior.

How do associations influence delinquency?

Individuals learn behaviors, attitudes, and values from the people they spend time with. Associating with delinquent peers can increase exposure to and acceptance of delinquent behavior.

How does exposure to others influence delinquency?

Individuals may imitate or learn behaviors by observing people around them, especially people they respect, admire, or spend significant time with.

What is differential reinforcement?

The idea that behavior is influenced by its consequences. Individuals are more likely to repeat behaviors that are rewarded or reinforced and less likely to repeat behaviors that are punished.

What is positive reinforcement?

Adding something desirable after a behavior to increase the likelihood that the behavior will happen again.

• Example: A teenager receives money from friends after stealing something.

What is negative reinforcement?

Removing something unpleasant after a behavior to increase the likelihood that the behavior will happen again.

• Example: A teenager skips school to avoid being bullied, and the relief from bullying makes skipping school more likely in the future.

What is punishment?

A consequence intended to decrease the likelihood of a behavior happening again.

What is positive punishment?

Adding something unpleasant after a behavior to decrease that behavior.

• Example: A student gets detention for fighting

What is negative punishment?

Removing something desirable after a behavior to decrease that behavior.

• Example: A parent takes away a teenager's phone after they break curfew.

What is the difference between reinforcement and punishment?

Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior occurring again. Punishment decreases the likelihood of a behavior occurring again.

What is continuous reinforcement?

When a behavior is reinforced every single time it occurs.

• Example: A teenager receives a reward every time they complete a chore.

What is intermittent reinforcement?

When a behavior is reinforced only sometimes rather than every time it occurs. Example: A teenager is occasionally rewarded by friends for skipping class.

What is the difference between continuous and intermittent reinforcement?

Continuous reinforcement rewards behavior every time it occurs. Intermittent reinforcement rewards behavior occasionally. Intermittently reinforced behaviors can be especially resistant to extinction.

Why can delinquency continue even without a reward every time?

Intermittent reinforcement can maintain behavior because individuals learn that rewards may happen unpredictably, so they continue the behavior.

What is Control Theory?

The theory that people are naturally capable of delinquent behavior, but social bonds, relationships, and personal controls help prevent them from engaging in it.

According to control theory, why do juveniles conform?

They have strong social bonds, relationships, investments in conventional activities, and moral beliefs that discourage delinquency.

What are Hirschi's four social bonds?

1. Attachment. 2. Commitment. 3. Involvement. 4. Belief.

What is emotional attachment?

The emotional connection individuals have with important people, such as parents, teachers, and friends. Strong attachment makes individuals less likely to engage in behavior that could disappoint or hurt those people.

What is commitment?

The investment an individual has in conventional goals and activities, such as education, employment, or future success. Individuals have more to lose if they engage in delinquency.

What is involvement?

Participation in conventional activities that occupy an individual's time, leaving less time and opportunity for delinquent behavior. Example: Participating in sports, clubs, or school activities.

What is belief?

Acceptance of society's rules, values, and moral expectations. Individuals who believe rules are important are less likely to break them.

What is direct control?

External supervision and consequences used to prevent delinquency.

• Example: Parents monitoring their child's activities, setting curfews, and enforcing rules.

What is internal control?

The ability to regulate one's own behavior through self-discipline, conscience, and internalized values, even when nobody is watching.

How does emotional attachment prevent delinquency?

Individuals are less likely to engage in delinquent behavior when they care about the opinions and expectations of people important to them.

How does investment in conventional activities prevent delinquency?

Individuals who have invested time and effort in school, jobs, and future goals have more to lose if they engage in delinquent behavior.

What is self-control?

The ability to regulate impulses, delay gratification, consider consequences, and resist immediate temptations.

What is low self-control?

A tendency toward impulsivity, immediate gratification, risk-taking, and difficulty considering long-term consequences.

What is impulsivity?

Acting quickly without thinking about the consequences. Example: Getting into a physical fight because of a moment of anger.

What is restraint?

The ability to pause, control impulses, and think through possible consequences before acting.

How does low self-control relate to delinquency?

Individuals with low self-control may be more likely to engage in delinquency because they prioritize immediate rewards and struggle to consider long-term consequences.

What is direct monitoring?

Actively supervising someone's behavior and activities.

• Example: A parent checking where their teenager is, who they are with, and what they are doing.

What is indirect monitoring?

Keeping track of someone's behavior through other people or information rather than directly supervising them.

• Example: A parent communicating with teachers, other parents, or community members to learn about their teenager's activities.

What are consistent sanctions?

Predictable consequences that are applied reliably when rules are broken. Individuals understand what will happen if they engage in certain behaviors.

Why are consistent sanctions important?

They help individuals understand expectations and consequences, making discipline more effective and predictable.

What is harsh or abusive punishment?

Extreme physical or emotional punishment that may involve violence, humiliation, intimidation, or excessive discipline.

How can harsh or abusive punishment influence delinquency?

It can increase anger, resentment, aggression, and distrust. It may also damage parent-child relationships and teach children that violence is an acceptable response to conflict.

Why might harsh punishment be less effective than consistent discipline?

Harsh punishment can create fear and resentment rather than helping children develop internal self-control. Consistent, reasonable consequences better communicate expectations.

What is Labeling Theory?

The theory that the way society reacts to individuals who commit delinquent acts can influence their future behavior and increase the likelihood of continued offending.

How do reactions to delinquency influence subsequent offending?

Negative reactions, rejection, and stigmatizing labels can change how individuals see themselves and how others treat them, potentially encouraging continued delinquency.

What is a harsh or rejecting response to delinquency?

A reaction that involves punishment, exclusion, humiliation, or rejection rather than support and reintegration. Example: A teenager who steals is repeatedly called a criminal and excluded from school activities.

What is symbolic interactionism?

The idea that individuals develop their identities and understand themselves through interactions with others and the meanings society attaches to their behavior.

What is a delinquent self-concept?

When an individual begins to view themselves as a delinquent or criminal because of the labels and reactions they receive from others.

How can labeling create more delinquency?

An individual may internalize a negative label, experience rejection from conventional groups, and begin associating with others who engage in delinquency, making continued offending more likely.

What is the difference between an initial delinquent act and subsequent offending?

An initial delinquent act is the first act of delinquency. Subsequent offending refers to additional delinquent behavior that occurs afterward.

Why can labeling have long-term consequences?

Labels can affect an individual's reputation, relationships, educational opportunities, employment opportunities, and sense of identity, potentially making reintegration into conventional society more difficult.

Why does delinquency sometimes go undetected?

Some offenses are not reported, witnessed, or discovered. Victims may be afraid to report incidents, offenses may be considered minor, and adults or authorities may not be aware of what happened.

What is a harsh or rejecting response to delinquency?

A response that emphasizes punishment, exclusion, and negative labels. It can create resentment and increase the likelihood of future delinquency.

What is a nonintervention approach to delinquency?

Choosing not to formally intervene or respond to certain delinquent behaviors. This can prevent unnecessary labeling and involvement with the justice system, particularly for minor offenses.

What is restorative justice?

An approach that focuses on repairing the harm caused by delinquency rather than simply punishing the offender.

What are the main goals of restorative justice?

Accountability, participation, repairing harm, understanding the impact of behavior, and rebuilding relationships when possible.

What does accountability mean in restorative justice?

The offender takes responsibility for their actions and recognizes the harm they caused.

What does participation mean in restorative justice?

Victims, offenders, and sometimes community members actively participate in discussing the harm and determining how it can be repaired.

What does repairing harm mean in restorative justice?

Taking steps to address the damage caused by delinquency. This could include an apology, restitution, community service, or another meaningful action.

What is the difference between restorative justice and traditional punishment?

Traditional punishment focuses primarily on penalizing the offender. Restorative justice focuses on accountability, addressing the victim's needs, and repairing harm.

How can nonintervention reduce delinquency?

By avoiding unnecessary formal punishment and negative labels, nonintervention can prevent minor delinquent behavior from becoming part of an individual's identity.

What is the difference between harsh/rejecting, nonintervention, and restorative approaches?

Harsh/rejecting emphasizes punishment and exclusion. Nonintervention avoids formal involvement when appropriate. Restorative justice emphasizes accountability, participation, and repairing harm.

What is life-course-persistent offending?

A pattern of delinquent behavior that begins in childhood and continues into adolescence and adulthood.

What is adolescence-limited offending?

A pattern of delinquent behavior that begins during adolescence and generally stops as individuals transition into adulthood.

What is the difference between life-course-persistent and adolescence-limited offenders?

Life-course-persistent offenders begin offending early and continue into adulthood. Adolescence-limited offenders typically begin during adolescence and stop as they mature and take on adult responsibilities.

What types of offenses are commonly associated with life-course-persistent offending?

More serious and persistent behaviors, including repeated aggression, violence, theft, and other criminal activity that may continue into adulthood.

What types of offenses are commonly associated with adolescence-limited offending?

Typically less serious and temporary delinquent behaviors, such as underage drinking, vandalism, shoplifting, or experimenting with risky behaviors.

Why do adolescence-limited offenders often stop offending?

They mature, gain independence, develop adult responsibilities, enter relationships, pursue employment, and become less interested in adolescent delinquent behaviors.

Why do life-course-persistent offenders continue offending?

Early behavioral problems, individual traits, environmental disadvantages, and difficulties with relationships, school, and employment can contribute to a continued pattern of offending.

Which group represents the majority of juvenile offenders?

Adolescence-limited offenders. Most individuals who engage in delinquency during adolescence do not continue offending throughout adulthood.

Which group represents a smaller proportion of offenders?

Life-course-persistent offenders. They represent a relatively small group but may account for a disproportionate amount of serious and persistent offending.

What does the prevalence of delinquency refer to?

The proportion or percentage of a population that engages in delinquent behavior during a particular period or over a specified lifetime.