Question 1

According to strain theorists, what is strain, what causes strain, and how does strain lead to crime?

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Question 2

Walter Miller identified the unique conduct norms (focal concerns) that help define lower-class culture. Identify and use Miller's focal concerns to explain how cultural deviance theory combines the effects of social disorganization and strain theories.

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Question 3

Robert Agnew suggests that criminality is the direct result of negative affective states. Identify Agnew's negative affective states and explain how they lead to criminality.

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Question 4

According to social structure theory, the key to understanding the root cause of crime can be found in the nation's socioeconomic makeup. Explain what is meant by this statement.

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Question 5

General strain theory is not purely a structural theory because it focuses on how life events influence behavior.

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General strain theory posits that individuals may engage in deviant behavior as a coping mechanism in response to negative life events or experiences, rather than solely due to their position within a certain social structure. Therefore, it takes into account both individual level experiences and external structural factors.

Question 6

Cultural deviance theory combines elements of relative deprivation and differential opportunity theories.

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Question 7

Agnew's focus on negative affective states offers a more general explanation of criminality among all elements of society rather than being restrictive to lower-class crime.

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Agnew's general strain theory suggests that negative emotions and experiences, such as frustration and anger, can lead to criminal behavior among individuals from all social classes. It does not restrict the explanation of criminality to lower-class individuals.

Question 8

Primary elements of the social ecology school include community disorder, community fear and siege mentality. Explain how these elements are associated.

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Question 9

Discuss how collective efficacy and community cohesion are associated. Include in your discussion the three types of collective efficacy and how collective efficacy is associated with levels of crime in a neighborhood.

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Question 10

Examples of Walter Miller's lower-class focal concerns include achievement, status, and delayed gratification.

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Walter Miller's lower-class focal concerns include toughness, smartness, excitement, fate, autonomy, and trouble.

Question 11

In his theory of anomie, sociologist Robert Merton applied the sociological concepts first identified by Emile Durkheim to criminology. Discuss the foundations of Merton's anomie theory and the social adaptations found within this strain theory.

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Question 12

Social disorganization theorists, Shaw and McKay focus on transitional neighborhoods as "concentric zones" of crime. Discuss this theory and how they applied their theory to the city of Chicago.

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Question 13

There are three separate yet overlapping branches within the social structure perspective - social disorganization theory, strain theory, and cultural deviance theory. Briefly discuss the main focuses of each of these theories.

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Question 14

Social disorganization theory links crime rates to neighborhood ecological characteristics. Identify and discuss these characteristics.

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Question 15

Merton's view of anomie has been one of the most enduring and influential theories of criminality.

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Merton's theory of anomie has had a significant impact on the field of criminology and is still widely discussed and debated today. It suggests that societal norms and values can lead to feelings of strain and frustration among individuals who feel unable to achieve the goals they hold dear, leading them to engage in criminal behavior as a means of coping with these feelings.

Quiz 6: Social Structure Theory