merton's strain theory

strain theory

people will do these deviant things when they achieve goals by legitimate means because there is a stain between the goals we are told be should achieve and the means they have with which to achieve them

deviance

something that goes against values and what the public would want like teens laundering

the american dream

an ideology that swept across america and is still important and it is the idea that society is meritocratic

conformity

when people accept society's goals and also their means to get there e.g. middle class people

innovation

when people accept society's goals but not their means to get there e.g. kingpins or walter white

ritualism

when people don't accept society's goals but they do accept their means e.g. low wage/low aspirations

retreatism

when they don't accept society's goals or their means to get there e.g. druggies or squatters

rebellion

when they half accept society's goals and half accept their means e.g. hippies

downes and hansen

did a survey of crime rates and welfare spending in 18 countries and found societies who spent more on welfare had lower rates of imprisonment so societies who support the poor have less crime as innovators have less reason to turn to illegitimate means to achieve their goals

critiques

doesn't explain utilitarian crimes with no purpose
takes working class crime at face value
only individual level doesn't explain wealthy crime

marxists

argue ignores power of the ruling class in deciding the laws which incriminate the poor