General Strain Theory of Criminology

Agnew (1985)

- Offers a revised strain theory
- The blockage of pain-avoidance behavior
- Adolescents are forced to stay in certain environments (family & school)
- If these environments are adverse or painful, there is very little adolescents can do to escape legally
- Leads to frustration, a legal escape attempt, or anger-based delinquency

What effect do adverse school and family environments have on delinquency according to Agnew (1985)?

They have a direct effect on delinquency and an indirect effect through anger.

How does being in an aversive environment affect adolescents' likelihood of delinquency according to Agnew (1985)?

Adolescents in an aversive environment from which they cannot escape are more likely to be delinquent.

According to Agnew (1922) strains and stressors increase

the likelihood of negative emotions

Name for Agnew (1992)

Foundations for General Strain Theory of Crime and Delinquency

According to Agnew(1922) negative emotions create

pressure for corrective action, and crime is one possible response

What are the 3 major types of strain

1. Failure to achieve positively valued goals
2. Removal of positively valued stimuli
3. Presentation of negative (noxious) stimuli

What is the definition of failure to achieve positively valued goals?

Disjunction between aspirations and expectations/actual achievements

What does disjunction between expectations and actual achievements refer to?

A gap between what is expected and what is actually achieved

What does disjunction between just/fair outcomes and actual outcomes indicate?

A gap between perceived fairness and the reality of outcomes

Individual goals focus on

the achievement of specific outcomes

the achievement of specific outcomes is compared to

the actual outcomes of specific others

Removal of Positively Valued Stimuli

Loss of something values

Delinquency occurs when individuals attempt to

prevent its loss, retrieve what was lost, or seek revenge on those who remove the positive stimuli

Presentation of negative stimuli

inability to escape noxious stimuli

What is one way an individual may respond to negative stimuli?

Attempting to escape from or avoid the negative stimuli

How might an individual try to alleviate negative stimuli?

Trying to terminate or alleviate the negative stimuli

What is a possible reaction to negative stimuli involving retaliation?

Seeking revenge against the source of the negative stimuli or related targets

What is a method some individuals use to manage negative effects?

Taking illicit drugs

Wen is strain the greatest

- Greater in magnitude or size
- Recent
- Of long duration and
- Clustered in time

Presentation of noxious stimuli's definition of magnitude

Amount of pain or discomfort inflicted

Goal Blockage definition of the magnitude

Size of the gap between one's goals and reality

Loss of positive stimuli definition of magnitude

Amount that was lost

Recency

Better conceptual clarity is obtained from the recent past

Duration

The longer an individual experiences a strain, the greater effect it will have

Clustering

Events that are closely questioned in time have a greater effect on negative outcomes

Agnew emphasizes the role of __ in GST

emotion

Experiencing ___ leads people to attempt to resole the issues causing these emotions

negative emotions

3 Major adaptions to strain

1. Cognitive coping strategies
2. Emotional coping strategies
3. Behavioral coping strategies

Cognitive coping strategies

Cognitively reinterpret objective stressors in ways that minimize their objective adversity

Categories of cognitive coping strategies

- Ignoring or minimizing the importance of adversity
- Maximizing positive outcomes or minimizing negative outcomes
- Accepting responsibility for harsh conditions

Emotional coping strategies

Directly acting in response to the negative emotions that have resulted from adversity

Example of Emotional coping strategies

Using drugs as a stimulant and depressant; physical exercise in an effort to reduce or alleviate negative emotions

what are the 2 types of behavioral coping strategies

- Try to find a way to minimize or alleviate the source of strain which could include both conventional or delinquent behaviors
- Seek to satisfy the need for revenge, which may also assume conventional or delinquent behaviors

Agnew (2001)

Provided guidelines for testing GST & Added even more definitions of strain

Objective Strain (Agnew 2001)

Events or conditions that are disliked by most members of a given group

Subjective Strain (Agnew 2001)

Events or conditions that are disliked by the people who are experiencing (or have experienced) them

Agnew (2001) believed that strains were most likely to result in crime when they:

- Were seen as unjust
- Were viewed as high in magnitude
- Degree of strain
- Duration/frequency of strain
- recency
- Centrality of strain (Does strain threaten core goes, needs, etc, of individual)
- Were caused by or associated with low social control, and
- Created some pressure or incentive to engage in criminal coping

What strain is related to the failure to achieve core goals that are easily achieved through crime?

The failure to achieve core goals that are easily achieved through crime

What strain is associated with parental rejection?

Parental rejection

What type of supervision/discipline is considered a strain related to crime?

Supervision/discipline that is very strict, erratic, excessive given the infraction, and/or harsh

What strain involves child neglect and abuse?

Child neglecting & abuse

What negative experience in secondary school is related to crime?

Negative secondary school experiences

What type of work is considered a strain related to crime?

Work in the secondary labor market

What living condition, especially among youth, is related to crime?

Homelessness especially youth homelessness

What type of peer relations can be a strain related to crime?

Abusive peer relations, especially among youth

What experience can lead to criminal victimization?

Criminal victimization

What type of experiences based on ascribed characteristics can be a strain related to crime?

Experiences with prejudice and discrimination based on ascribed characteristics, like race/ethnicity

Vicarious (Agnew 2002)

The real-life strain experienced by others around that individual especially close others like family members, friends, and community residents

Direct strain

Directly witnessed

Indirect strain

hear about the strain

Anticipated Strain

An individual's expectation that current stresses will continue into the future or that new stresses will be experienced.

Agnew (2006) created the term

Chronic Strain

chronic strain

Repeat or long-term strains

Name of Agnew 2006

Pressured Into Crime: An Overview of General Strain Theory

Coping is affected by

- Poor coping skills and resources...AND
- Low self-control
- Weak social bonds
- Rational choices
- Routine activities