strain thoery

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Concern over increasing crime rates led to questioning the relationship between social structure and crime.
August Comte: First to apply the scientific method for understanding social factors, emphasizing social determinism and rejecting free will.
Adolphe Quetelet: Analyzed crime statistics and noted that specific demographics (young, poor, uneducated, unemployed men) were more likely to commit crimes.
- Relative Deprivation: Inequality between members of society is more crucial than absolute wealth.
- Areas with greater inequality exhibit higher crime rates.
- Noted that rapid economic changes correlated with increased crime.
- Crime is a product of social organization and can guide social reforms to address inequalities.

Developed a theory based on economic development and labor distribution transitioning from mechanical to organic societies.
Mechanical Societies: Characterized by uniformity and shared functions; laws enforce conformity and reinforce collective conscience.
Organic Societies: Exhibit specialized roles, leading to weakened collective conscience (anomie) and increased risk of antisocial behavior.
Key Transitions:
- From simple to complex division of labor.
- From laws that enforce conformity to those regulating interactions.

Early theorists influenced the development of strain theories emphasizing frustration as a key factor in criminal behavior, differing in causes and reactions to strain.
Robert K. Merton: Noted the impact of the economy during the Great Depression on social factors, particularly crime.
- The American Dream: Emphasizes hard work leading to financial success, but highlights unrealistic expectations for achieving goals.
- Strain is seen as the negative emotions from failing to achieve goals through accepted means.
- Modes of adaptation include conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.

Modes of Adaptation:
- Conformity: Accepts goals and means (e.g., average citizens).
- Innovation: Accepts societal goals but rejects means (e.g., criminals seeking success through illegal means like theft).
- Ritualism: Rejects the goal of wealth but accepts means (e.g., individuals who continue to work without ambition).
- Retreatism: Rejects both goals and means (e.g., social dropouts, substance abusers).
- Rebellion: Substitutes new goals and means, often through disruptive actions (e.g., revolutionaries).

Extends strain theories to all social classes and considers frustrations from a broader scope including both negative stimuli and loss of positive stimuli.
Three Sources of Strain:
1. Failure to achieve positively valued goals (e.g., income, status).
2. Presence of noxious stimuli (e.g., abuse).
3. Removal of positive stimuli (e.g., job loss).
Negative emotional responses (anger/frustration) can lead to crime when healthy coping mechanisms are unavailable.

Strategies for reducing strain in society include:
- Improving educational and vocational opportunities: Making resources accessible reduces youth reoffending rates.
- Intervention programs: Pre-school initiatives and stress management programs to provide coping mechanisms.
- Addressing broad social issues: Tackling global deprivation, inequality, and poverty can mitigate crime.