...V. Criminality and Genetics 1. Robert Agnew According to Agnew’s (1992, 2006) General Strain Theory, there are many different types of strain in life, and strain may differ depending on the different types of relationships one may have in their environment. In Agnew’s theory strain is the result of negative emotions people have with one another, and is the direct correlation to individual characteristics people have with coping poorly with this strain and as a result strain may lead to crime. In Agnew’s (1992) claim, he eludes to how individuals that experience strain are left with the sense of not being able to achieve one’s full potential of being valued in society. This results in the person becoming under-stimulated with life and underappreciated with a lower than normal social standing. Individuals experiencing strain also experience negative emotions, and these emotions leave the person wanting to feel better with themselves and the world around them. Strain then results in crime, when the individual lacks certain skills like cognitive, emotional, and coping skills to deal with the situations revolving around their environment (Agnew, R. 2016)....
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...Institutional anomie applies to the DC mansion murder cases, because money was the leading motivation that resulted in the murders of the Savopoulos family and Mrs. Figueroa. We are aware that $40,000 dollars was dropped off at the house. Economic deprivation is a leading predictor that result in criminal causation. Court documents indicate that Devon Wint’s was a former employee at the American Iron Works where Savvas Savopoulos was the president and ceo. According to Messner and Rosenfeld, Devon isn’t able to achieve that American Dream, due to his social status and economic barriers. Mr. Savopoulos, is the example of the achieved success, as he is a white privileged male who runs a multimillion dollar company. Wear as Devon Wint’s is a...
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...Assignment 3 – Hypothesis Formation 1.Generate questions. After studying the literature on your topic, generate one or more unanswered questions you'd be interested in exploring further. These are your research questions: -In accordance to Agnew’s General Strain theory, I’d like to know, first, does excessive strain lead to crime? The second, who is more likely to commit crime (males or females) and why? 2.Determine your variables. A generalizing hypothesis describes a pattern you think may exist between two variables: an independent variable and a dependent variable. If your experiments confirm the pattern, you may decide to suggest a reason that the pattern exists or a mechanism that generates the pattern. The reason or mechanism you...
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...General Strain Theory: Robert Agnew At one point in life, every individual will experience strain. Theorist Robert Agnew tried to explain that when an individual experiences strain, he/she would feel a certain negative emotion or emotions. These negative emotions may lead a person to cope their strain through delinquent behavior. This paper will first summarize a recent crime on the news and it will also address Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory. The three situations that are believed to cause strain will be explained, as well as the five factors that can make it strenuous for a person to cope in a positive and legal manner. This paper will also discuss why Agnew would explain this criminal decided to commit the crime by giving examples of the individual’s (the criminal’s) environment, personalities, and relationships. Nelly Kantun worked for more than 20 years at the Domino’s Pizza located at 1644 E. Highland Ave in San Bernardino, California. She was the manager of the store when something tragic took place on February 12, 2014. According to a news website, The Sun, Nelly Kantun’s ex-boyfriend Pedro Enrique Duquesne, age 55, from Highland shot her once in the upper body when she was inside the Domino’s store; Nelly was then shot two more times outside of the store when she allegedly tried to run out. Police believed this incident was due to domestic violence. The 39 year old unfortunately died at St. Bernardines Medical Center in San Bernardino. She was well liked and...
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...communities. Robert Ezra Park’s research “demonstrated that criminal behavior was independent of individual characteristics and much more dependent on disruptive social forces” (23). Park’s social disorganization theory forms the basis for several other theories in contemporary criminology. For example, the theories that have come to be known as strain theories. Sociologist Robert Merton believed that “social conditions, especially poverty and ethnicity, are powerful factors in determining the adaptations that individuals make to socially prescribed goals and the lifestyles that develop as a result” (25). Focusing on social disorganization and strain theory, I can attempt to explain why people commit the crimes of juvenile delinquency, methamphetamine use, and prostitution. Shaw and McKay’s theory of social disorganization asserts “that delinquency emerges in neighborhoods where the neighborhood relationships and institutions have broken down and can no longer maintain effective social controls” (Bernard, Snipes, Gerould, 2010, p. 65). Agnew’s general strain theory focuses on negative relationships with others that generate negative emotions which “then cause crime” (Bernard et al., 2010, p. 164). Although Agnew used this general theory of crime to explain juvenile crime and drug use, I believe this general strain has impact on adults also; specifically female-headed households in rural areas. For single mothers, autonomy can be hard to achieve, creating strain which results...
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...David Garcia SOC 240 Professor Ortiz Homelessness and Deviance Homelessness is something that is widespread throughout the United States as well as many other parts of the world, some places being more severe than others. Regardless of where the place is, a stigma is placed on those who are homeless, often being labeled as deviant. Those who are homeless, unemployed, or those receiving welfare are often viewed as lazy, reluctant to work, and possibly a drug addict. Also, assumptions are often made that those who are homeless are where they’re at as a result of their own actions. As a result of being homeless, individuals are left to fend for themselves in the streets, and ultimately these individuals are more vulnerable to using drugs, alcohol, committing crimes, and even prostitution. This only makes the people who already label these homeless individuals deviant as even more deviant. I argue that homelessness is not a form of deviance, that it is not a personal choice to be homeless but that there are conditions that are out of those individuals control that can lead to homelessness. It is more of an economic and lack of information issue than it is an issue of whether it is deviant or not. Homelessness itself isn’t deviant, but under certain circumstances it can lead to deviant behavior. As Jeffery Chaichana Peterson states on his article on homelessness (2012), “As a result of urban deprivation, economic decline, a rise in housing costs, and a decline in blue-collar...
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...Running Head: Crime in America Economics, Crime, and Prevention in America Clara m. Jones Strayer University Instructor: Dr. Astiage Tondari Economics 405: Economics of Social Issues June 7, 2012 Abstract Economic theories of crime have long been put forward in an attempt to explain criminality. They undertake to explain crime in terms of economic reasons as we as in terms of the structuring of society. Two of the most prolific of these theories look at the country of America and present differing explanations of the causes of crime in this country (Merton 1938; 1949; 1957; 1968; 1995; 1997; 1999; Clubb, 2001). Robert Merton seeks to explain crime in terms of a strain to anomie’ while Elliott Currie’ sees crime as a product of the factors associated with market society. These theories may concentrate specifically on America they are of general application; therefore, one can consider whether or not they explain the causes of criminality in the UK in the present day. There will be more in this paper on Merton and Currie as well as others in this. This paper discusses the effects of child maltreatment, adolescent maltreatment on delinquency and crime, including violet and nonviolent offending. This paper will discuss, gender difference, deviant behavior, and substance abuse (drugs). This paper will discuss will economic analysis classification of crime, deterrence, rehabilitation, incarceration, recidivism, parole, probation, court systems, good and services, and legalization...
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...Psychological theory The issue of human violence is also a major topic within the academic discipline of psychology. As biosocial theorists do, psychologists focus on how individual characteristics may interact with the social environment to produce a violent event. However, rather than focus on the biological basis of crime, psychologists focus on how mental processes impact individual propensities for violence. Psychologists are often interested in the association between learning, intelligence, and personality and aggressive behaviour. In this section of the report, we briefly review some of the major psychological perspectives that have attempted to explain violent behaviour. These perspectives include the psychodynamic perspective, behavioural theory, cognitive theory and personality theory. We will also explore the possible relationship between mental illness and violence. Social learning theory Social learning theory is a theory that attempts to explain socialization and its effect of the development of the self. There are many different theories that explain how people become socialized, including psychoanalytic theory, functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction theory. Social learning theory, like these others, looks at the individual learning process, the formation of self, and the influence of society in socializing individuals. Social control theory gained prominence during the 1960s as sociologists sought differing conceptions of crime. It...
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...Social Theories of Crime Linda Robuck AIU Online Abstract This text seeks to make more understandable and explain what social theories are all about, using four different social theories. The beginning of this text will offer a general description or definition of not only what exactly social theories are, but also a description or definition for each of the four theories mentioned earlier. For each of the theories, information that will be included involves a description of each theory, a short history of each theory which will include information with respect to when the theory was proposed, who the relevant theorist or theorists associated with each theory were, strengths of each theory which explains criminal behavior, why each theory was important at the time of its proposal, weaknesses of each theory which explain criminal behavior, and particular examples that will correspond with each of the four theories being discussed. A theoretical application involving an individual who has recently been convicted of a crime will be provided. Along with information regarding the individual and their criminal deviance particular to them, a discussion will ensue in regard to which of the four theories would be most relevant in regard to further explanation of the deviant actions committed by the individual. Social Theories of Crime Introduction In the annals of the early nineteenth century, criminology can find its beginnings in a newly urbanized...
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...Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank to accompany A First Look at Communication Theory Sixth Edition Em Griffin Wheaton College prepared by Glen McClish San Diego State University and Emily J. Langan Wheaton College Published by McGrawHill, an imprint of The McGrawHill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright Ó 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1994, 1991 by The McGrawHill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may be reproduced in print form solely for classroom use with A First Look At Communication Theory provided such reproductions bear copyright notice, but may not be reproduced in any other form or for any other purpose without the prior written consent of The McGrawHill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. PREFACE Rationale We agreed to produce the instructor’s manual for the sixth edition of A First Look at Communication Theory because it’s a first-rate book and because we enjoy talking and writing about pedagogy. Yet when we recall the discussions we’ve had with colleagues about instructor’s manuals over the years, two unnerving comments stick with us: “I don’t find them much help”; and (even worse) “I never look at them.” And, if the truth be told, we were often the people making such points! With these statements in mind, we have done some serious soul-searching about the texts that so many teachers—ourselves...
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