Criminology For Dummies by Steven Briggs & Joan Friedman

Author:Steven Briggs & Joan Friedman [Briggs, Steven & Friedman, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781119773214
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2021-04-30T00:00:00+00:00

Because people who live in good and bad neighborhoods may experience each of these types of strain singly or in combination, GST seems to be an improvement on Merton’s theory of anomie, which attributed strain mostly to the lower classes. However, GST still isn’t an all-encompassing theory of criminality because it doesn’t fully explain why many people who feel significant strain don’t commit crime.

Institutional anomie theory

Institutional anomie theory contends that certain institutions play an important role in keeping people from fixating on material success, and, as a result, these institutions help reduce strain. Families and churches, for example, temper the desire for material wealth. They emphasize nonmaterial success, such as a good home life, close friends, and spiritual strength. These institutions also help people find ways to deal with strain without resorting to crime.

Unfortunately, fewer people are attending church these days, and families are much more fractured, thanks to high divorce rates and the increasing number of births out of wedlock. According to the institutional anomie theory, the lessening impact of these institutions is leading people to place more emphasis on material success. It also reduces their ability to deal with strain. As a result, more people turn to crime.

As positive institutions weaken, negative institutions may grow. For example, street gangs and drug-trafficking organizations may flourish. As these criminal groups become institutions in some neighborhoods, they pass on negative — not positive — values from generation to generation.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.