Question

I'm writing a 1500 words paper for my Sociology-Criminology course, and I need a few main points to answer this question: How convincing is strain theory as an explanation of criminality?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Some of the points to be added in the paper can be as follows:

• According to the Strain theory, there are certain strains and stresses which lead to the increase in the crime.
• The stresses can be of the inability of achieving a goal like loss of status or financial aids, loss of positivity in life like the death of any person who was a symbol of positivity in one’s life, the presence of negativity like the use of verbal abuse.
• Such experiences bring negativity and hopelessness which later ends at doing any crime.
• Crime can also form a way to escape from the problems or reduce the stresses and strains.
• The reason can also be of taking revenge from the source which provided stress.
• Crimes also increase negative emotions in a person and thus start to become a dominant reason for committing the crime.
• Gender differences and the discrimination faced because of such reasons fall on the main reasons for committing the crimes.
• People tend to adopt committing crimes in order to hide or put the blame on others as the reason for the crime.
• Situations like losing something good, receiving something bad or unable to get what one desire are some of the reasons for strains and stresses.
• When the strains which lead to the crime have a high magnitude, are perceived as unjust, or they create pressure.
• Rejection from the parents, child abuse, harsh or unfair discipline, abusive peer relations, bad school experiences, bad jobs, unemployment, problems in marriage life, discrimination on the basis of caste, race, religion or gender, failure in life or in any decision and homelessness are some of the factors which leads to strains and stress and thus leading to a crime.
• These strains bring negative emotions like anger, distress, and uneasiness in a person’s life thus leading to the negativity of crime in the mind.