Criminology Theories: Strain and Labeling

Exam Preparation and Review Sheet

  • Review Sheet Availability: Accessible on Canvas under "files," in a separate folder for midterms.
  • Updates: The review sheet was recently updated. Students who downloaded it a few days ago should download the new version as it has removed content from Chapter 4 (since it wasn't covered yet) and added new items. Ensure you have the updated version, which should be explicitly labeled as "updated."
  • Concepts Not Discussed in Class: The review sheet includes concepts from the textbook that were not explicitly discussed in class. These are considered "fair game" for the exam. Questions on these topics will be very straightforward, recognizing that students' grasp of them might not be as strong as topics covered in lecture.
    • Recommendation: Use the review sheet as a guide. If a concept (e.g., hate crimes) is on the list but not in your notes, look it up in the textbook or email for clarification.
  • Review Session: Scheduled for tonight at 3.00 PM (time not specified if it's PM or AM, but context implies evening) on Zoom, using the office hours link. It will be recorded and posted. Typically, attendees ask questions from the review sheet, which are then explained, but more complex issues can also be discussed.

Criminology: Explaining Criminal Behavior

Underlying Question

  • Central Focus: Why do people commit crimes?

Theoretical Approaches

  • Criminology is broken down into several approaches, each with different theories.
  • Micro Theories (Individual Level):
    • Focus on why a single person commits a crime (e.g., why Michael or Sarah committed a crime).
    • Examples discussed:
      • Classical Criminology: Associated with Bentham, rational legalism, and deterrence.
      • Psychological Criminology: Linked to Freud, Skinner, and learning theory. This often ties into Differential Association Theory.
      • Biological Criminology: Suggests that criminal behavior is rooted in an individual's physiological makeup.
  • Macro Theories (Societal Level):
    • Concerned with large-scale trends and social conditions rather than individual actions.
    • Focus: Explaining why crime exists in certain neighborhoods or large groups, rather than why one person is criminal.
    • Relevance: Useful for government officials (e.g., chief of police, mayor) to allocate resources effectively for broader societal impact.
    • Social Factors Increasing Crime: Poverty, lack of trust in institutions, both parents working.

Strain Theory (Merton)

Core Premise

  • Societal Goals and Means: Every society teaches its members to desire certain things (goals) and provides institutionalized ways (means) to achieve them.
    • In Our Culture: Primary goals are money and social status (respect).
    • Institutionalized Means: Getting a degree, working hard, getting a job.
    • Conformists: Individuals who accept both the societal goals and the legitimate means to achieve them. They are law-abiding (e.g., most people in the classroom).

Typologies of Strain Theory

When there is a disconnect or "social blockage" between desired goals and accessible means, individuals may adapt in different ways, some of which lead to crime.

  • 1. Innovators:
    • Goals: Acknowledge and desire societal goals (money, respect).
    • Means: Reject or lack access to legitimate, institutionalized means to achieve those goals.
    • Behavior: Find alternative, often illicit, ways to achieve the goals.
    • Example: Drug dealers, mob members, hackers who steal. They want money and respect but choose a different (often criminal) path to get it, which may still involve hard work.
  • 2. Retreatists:
    • Goals: Reject societal goals.
    • Means: Reject institutionalized means.
    • Behavior: Withdraw from society and its demands, often seeking to fulfill immediate desires (e.g., getting high).
    • Example: Drug addicts, individuals who play video games all day, homeless people (often, not always) who lack ambition,