SOCIAL THEORY

Social Theory

Social Theory

Introduction

Social theories state that certain strains or stressors increase the likelihood of crime. These strains lead to negative emotions, such as frustration and anger. These emotions create pressure for corrective action, and crime is one possible response. Crime may be used to reduce or escape from strain, seek revenge against the source of strain or related targets, or alleviate negative emotions. For example, individuals experiencing chronic unemployment may engage in theft or drug selling to obtain money, seek revenge against the person who fired them, or take illicit drugs in an effort to feel better.

Social Strain Theory is unique in that it can attempt to explain the differences in deviant behavior across different age, geographic locations, race, and gender. Every individual deals with some sort of strain in life, but everyone deals with their strains and stressors differently. The reasons that some individuals turn to crime because of strain can be contributed to multiple reasons. The individual may be using crime as a way to reduce or escape from their strain, even though it may be only temporary. Crime can also allow the individual to seek revenge on those they feel have wronged them, or if that is not possible, to seek other vulnerable targets. Crime can also be used to alleviate the individual's negative emotions (Agnew, 2006).

Social Strain Theory deals with how individuals experience strains and the way they cope with them. However, there can also be some other circumstances which may lead to increased strains. Vicarious strains are strains that are of other individuals that overflow and produce strain on a second individual (Agnew, 2006). These strains and the way another individual is coping with them can, at times, lead to increased strain to the individual not experiencing those strains directly. An example is if someone an individual is close to is assaulted, that person may feel a vicarious strain and cope with deviant acts. Vicarious strains do not lead to crime in most circumstances. Only in some cases where the individual's subjective view of the vicarious strain is at a level that increases emotional anxiety and anger can it lead to deviance. Another form of an indirect strain is anticipated strains. Anticipated strains deal with either the feeling that the strain being experienced will continue in the future or that new strain will arise in the future (Agnew, 2006). These types of situations are not due entirely to the current strains on the individual, but to the fear of continued strain and new unavoidable strain. This can also lead to emotions of despair, anger and anxiety.

Crime is viewed as the worst possible way of dealing with strain. The reasons that individuals either resort to crime or handle strains in other ways vary greatly. One idea is that an individual resorts to crime because of the lack of personal resources available for the individual to cope with strains. Another lies in the person's views as to why they are feeling ...