Theoretical Applications and Policy Implications: The Strain Theory
One of the primary purposes of a criminological theory is to inform crime prevention and victim reduction strategies and policies. This is accomplished by examining the factors proposed by the theory that contribute to or cause crime and then developing strategies or policies that impact these factors.
Imagine this scenario: You are a consultant for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). You have been asked to give a short presentation at their annual conference on the use of a criminological theory to inform policy.
Note: You may choose any criminological theory for this Assignment. However, you might consider researching routine activity theory, strain theory, the general theory of crime, social learning theory, social disorganization theory, biological theories, or psychological theories. Remember to only select one theory.
Theorists and Theories: Discover Theorists & TheoriesLinks to an external site.
Perform research in the Walden Library and the Internet to find three scholarly resources that focus on a criminological theory. Select one criminological theory to use in your presentation.
Subject Research: Criminal Justice & SecurityLinks to an external site.
Develop a 4- to 6-minute video presentation to be uploaded into Kaltura, in which you include the following:
Provide an overview of the criminological theory you selected. Include the main tenets and propositions in your overview.
Describe how this theory explains the occurrence of crime.
Include biological, psychological, social, and structural variables.
Provide three crime reduction strategies or policies that are based on the theory that you selected. These may be existing strategies or policies, or ones that you create.
Analyze how each crime reduction strategy or policy is based on the theory that you selected. Identify which theoretical tenet each crime reduction strategy or policy is based on.
Summarize your presentation by explaining which types of crimes each of your strategies or policies will most likely impact and how they might contribute to social change.
Theoretical Applications and Policy Implications
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Strain Theory: Overview
The train theory is a criminology theory that links one's desire to commit a crime with social structures, strains, or stressors. The theory states that social factors such as poverty, chronic unemployment, homelessness, discrimination, and lack of quality education motivate delinquency (Agnew, 2014). These strains induce negative emotions like frustration, depression, fear, and anger, creating pressure for corrective actions. One possible response is crime. According to this theory, the lack of adequate legal opportunities for normal success is the root of criminal behavior (Jang & Agnew, 2015). Such a situation creates a strain between success and the means to attain it, forcing some individuals to turn to crime to achieve success. Therefore, this theory proposes that crime reduction strategies and policies should focus on improving social factors to maintain a balanced society. Doing so will help reduce or eliminate crime.
The Strain Theory and the Occurrence of Crime
The strain theory explains that everyone yearns for wealth and prosperity. However, those in lower classes are unable to acquire wealth and material possessions due to strains. They make lower-class individuals with difficulty pursuing a goal of success more vulnerable to illegal activities. They turn to crime to obtain success. For instance, an individual who cannot get employment due to a lack of experience, qualification, or network may resort to theft or fraud to earn a living. As indicated earlier, strains create unenthusiastic emotions that generate pressure for corrective actions, one of them being delinquency. Crime may be a way of reducing or escaping from stressors, seeking revenge, or alleviating negative emotions through illicit drug use (Thaxton & Agnew, 2018). In other words, crime acts as a coping mechanism for strained individuals especially when they lack resources to legally cope with stressors.
Crime Reduction Strategies or Policies
The strain theory focuses on crime prevention strategies that would enhance the social living conditions of individuals. One of these measures is increased access to quality education through scholarship and sponsorship programs to the less fortunate. Quality education equips individuals with the knowledge and skills needed in the job market. It eliminates the culture of unlawfulness and encourages people to earn income honorably, avoiding any form of criminal behavior. The strain theory argues that lack of quality education is one of the stressors that influence individuals to indulge in criminal behavior (Agnew, 2014). Therefore, addressing the education issue is key to reducing crime.
Another crime reduction strategy based on the strain theory is expanding employment opportunities for the poor. Good jobs can keep individ...