General Strain Theory
General Strain Theory, developed by sociologist Robert Agnew, provides a framework for understanding the relationship between strain and criminal behavior. It posits that crime and delinquency often arise as coping mechanisms in response to stressful life events and strained social relationships. Unlike earlier strain theories that primarily focused on the lower socioeconomic class, Agnew's approach encompasses all classes, emphasizing that individuals from middle and upper classes can also engage in criminal acts due to strain.
The theory identifies three main types of strain: the failure to achieve positively valued goals (such as academic success), the removal of positive stimuli (like losing a loved one), and the presentation of negative stimuli (such as bullying). Each of these strains can lead to negative emotions, which may push some individuals toward criminal behavior as a means of coping. Additionally, General Strain Theory takes gender differences into account, recognizing that males and females may perceive and react to stressors differently.
Overall, the theory has implications for policymakers, suggesting the need for targeted programs to help individuals develop coping skills tailored to different gender and socioeconomic contexts, thereby addressing the root causes of crime and delinquency. Empirical support for General Strain Theory extends its relevance beyond criminology into various social systems.
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General Strain Theory
Crime and delinquency (acts deemed illegal when committed by youth) are often thought to be the outcomes of a person experiencing strain and frustration. Structural-strain theories of sociology contend that the primary source of strain is often brought about by a failure to achieve economic and material goods. Criminal offenses may be the way a person acquires these monetary items. More specifically, general strain theory explains crimes and delinquent acts as coping strategies to escape from the desperate thoughts and/or situations that result from stressful life events and strained social relationships. These coping strategies may emerge as cognitive, behavioral, and/or emotional reactions to an individual’s stressors. These acts mask and help manage the painful feelings experienced by those who commit criminal and delinquent behaviors.
Overview
Sociologist Robert Agnew contributed to the discipline of criminology with the ideas that he developed into general strain theory. Agnew’s general strain theory built upon other strain theories to predict and explain criminal and juvenile delinquent behaviors. His contribution added depth and breadth to the existing perspectives by constructing a theory with the ability to explain crime and delinquency committed by offenders regardless of their socioeconomic class. The tenets of Agnew’s theory explained the crime and delinquency committed by those of middle and upper classes as well as those of the lower classes. Prior to Agnew’s revisions, other strain theories primarily focused on acts committed by those of the lower class.
Additionally, general strain theory considers gender differences as a basis to determine specific causes of crime and delinquency. Males and females often experience differences in events perceived as stressors, which may in turn lead to violations of society’s laws and mores. Although strain and frustrations may be rooted in gender-specific causes, offenders commit criminal and delinquent acts as a reaction to these frustrations.
General strain theory suggests that there are three primary forms of strain that lead to crime. The first is the failure to achieve positively valued goals. For example, a bad test score may be considered a failure to reach academic standards valued by the individual’s parents and teachers. The second strain is the removal of a positively valued stimulus. This may be experienced in the event a person is separated from a loved one, perhaps through divorce or the death of a parent. The third form of strain is the presentation of a negative stimulus. Undesirable school experiences, such as bullying or rejection by one’s peers, represent negative stimuli. Any of these forms of strain potentially produce negative emotions that may be linked to criminal offenses and juvenile delinquency.
This theory may assist policymakers in developing programs designed to prevent and diminish crime and delinquency rates. General strain theory may be utilized to design programs best suited to address the similarities and differences across gender and socioeconomic classes of those who may be at risk of engaging in crime and delinquency. Programs based on the tenants of general strain theory would allow participants the opportunity to develop the necessary coping skills to understand and manage negative emotions that may arise from stressful life experiences. General strain theory has also been applied to systems outside of the criminal justice field, and has been supported by empirical evidence.
Bibliography
Adler, F., Gerhard O. W. Mueller, and William S. Laufer. Criminology. 10th ed., McGraw, 2021.
Agnew, Robert. “Foundation for a General Strain Theory of Crime and Delinquency.” Criminology, vol. 30, no. 1, 1992, pp. 47–87.
Agnew, Robert. “Building on the Foundation of General Strain Theory: Specifying the Types of Strain Most Likely to Lead to Crime and Delinquency.” Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, vol. 38, no. 4, 2001, pp. 319–61.
Agnew, Robert, and Lisa Briody. “Gender and Crime: A General Strain Theory Perspective.” Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, vol. 34, no. 3, 1997, pp. 275–306.
Higgins, George E., Nicole L. Piquero, and Alex R. Piquero. “General Strain Theory, Peer Rejection, and Delinquency/Crime.” Youth and Society, vol. 43, no. 4, 2011, pp. 1272–97.
Kaufman, Joanne M. “Gendered Responses to Serious Strain: The Argument for a General Strain Theory of Deviance.” Justice Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 3, 2009, pp. 410–44.
Patchin, Justin W., and Sameer Hinduja. “Traditional and Nontraditional Bullying among Youth: A Test of General Strain Theory.” Youth and Society, vol. 43, no. 2, 2011, pp. 727–51.
"Strain Theory." Britannica, 22 Oct. 2024, www.britannica.com/topic/strain-theory-sociology. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.
Williams, Frank P., and Marilyn D. McShane. Criminological Theory. 7th ed., Pearson, 2017