Sociology - Strain Theory - Crime and Deviance

Merton

Merton is considered to be the original strain theorist. Merton looks at how society makes the individual commits crime, and how society causes crime and deviance. Merton researched Western societies within America. According to official statistics, the working class are more likely to commit crime.

Merton argues that in the West, success is defined by material wealth. In America there is a consensus that the means of success is through hard work and success within Education. In America, people aspire to what is referred to as the 'American Dream' - based on the idea that anyone can become successful in the form of material wealth through legitimate and institutional means - linking to the idea of the meritocracy.

Despite people being unequal, everyone is aspiring for the same success.

Merton - The Reality

In Reality, Merton argues that, there is not an equal emphasis on the material wealth and the institutional means. There is more emphasis on the importance on materialism, this causes strain over the importance of how one gets wealth. People use illegitimate ways of achieving 'success' and materialism, they resort to crime.

Strain between mainstream goals and lack of legitimate means the achieve them - pressure to turn to crime. The working class, especially, are not provided with the means to achieve this goal, due to cultural deprivation - they do not have the right skills or attitudes.

Merton - 5 Ways people responses (Individual Responses)

1. Conformity - applies to the majority, especially the middle class, not a deviant response as it's not criminal and is adopted by the majority.

2. Innovation - applies to the working class, due to cultural deprivation, they cannot follow society's success goals - they resort to utilitarian crimes such as robbery and fraud, to reach success goals through illegitimate means.

3. Ritualism - applies to the lower middle class in low skilled service sector jobs. A deviant result, but not criminal. They've given up on the 'American Dream', but, they continue to work by the institutional means, as they've been socialised to not commit crime.

4. Retreatism - responses include drug addicts or alcoholics. They've tried to achieve success goals through institutional means, but failed. Eventually, they give up as a result of their failure. They retreat to drugs and alcohol to deal with their failure.

5. Rebellion - they never wanted to achieve society's success goals, they belong to a subculture of their own institutional means of achieving their own success goals.

A03 - Strengths of Merton

Merton's theory shows how cultural goals result in both normal and deviant behaviour. In addition, it explains patterns regarding official statistics and crime. Explains why the working class are more likely to commit crime - they're culturally deprived. Merton's theory also explains why property crime is so high - the working class are trying to achieve success through illegitimate means.

A03 - Criticisms of Merton

Merton's theory holds a deterministic view, it ignores that people have free will.

Marxists criticise Merton as he argues that society puts an emphasis on success goals. Marxists argue that Capitalists make us believe that material wealth equals success - as it would mean that consumers purchase more products, and this benefits Capitalists.

Merton can be criticised for his claim that everyone in Western society defines success by material wealth. Working Mothers may reject a promotion to stay with their children.

Cohen criticises Merton for his claim that the working class commit utilitarian crime. Merton's theory doesn't explain why people commit non-utilitarian crimes. Secondly, Cohen criticises Merton as portraying crime as an individual response, rather than a group response. Cohen argues that Merton's theory only applies to Adults, not youths, as youths commit group crime like under-age drinking.