Strain Theory Evaluation


	Strain Theory Evaluation
	Advantages It was an early attempt to explain crime in terms of the culture and structure of society It moved away from crude psychological and physiological beginnings Mertons explanation supports official stats. on crime - most crime is property crime and lower class crime rates are higher	Disadvantages Too much emphasis is placed on stats- overrepresentation of the lower classes Too deterministic- a lot of working class people experience crime but not all deviate Mertons theory focuses on the individual but some crime is a collective action Crime and deviance is not always motivated by a desire for monetary gain.
	Evaluation

It was an early attempt to explain crime in terms of the culture and structure of society
It moved away from crude psychological and physiological beginnings
Mertons explanation supports official stats. on crime - most crime is property crime and lower class crime rates are higher

Too much emphasis is placed on stats- overrepresentation of the lower classes
Too deterministic- a lot of working class people experience crime but not all deviate
Mertons theory focuses on the individual but some crime is a collective action
Crime and deviance is not always motivated by a desire for monetary gain.

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