Merton’s Strain Theory

• Describe Merton’s Strain Theory

  Crime lies in the unequal structure of society (UK+ USA)

  • American societies values = money, success, or wealth as the goal people should pursue and should achieve this through hard work at school
• What does Merton say bout blocked opportunities?

  (USA)

  Not everyone has an equal chance of achieving success due to American‘s society is unequal

  Opportunities for working - class are often blocked by poverty and inadequate schooling

  • causes strain between goal and the means to do get their
  • causes crime and deviance
• What are the 4 possible deviant ways of adapting to the strain theory based on whether they accept society’s goals and means that Merton found?

  Innovators

  Ritualist

  Retreatists

  Rebels
• What do rebels do?

  reject existing goals and means replacing them with new ones with the aim of changing society

  • politcal radicles
• What do ritualists do?

  give up striving for success

  • they carry on in a dead-end job
• What do retreatists do?


  dropouts who reject goals and means

  • vagrants, drunks, drug addicts
• What do innovators do?

  accept the goal, but find illegal ways of achieving it by committing utilitarian crimes involving financial gain

  • lower class - legitimate opportunities are blocked
• What are strengths of Merton’s Strain Theory?


  Shows how both normal and deviant behaviour arise from the same goals

  Explains patterns shown in official statistics

  • most crime is property crime - society values wealth
  • working class crime rates are higher as they have less opportunities to obtain wealth legitimately
• What are the limitations of Merton’s Strain Theory?


  ignores crimes of the wealthy + over predicts working class crime

  Focus his theory on utilitarian crimes

  • theft
  • ignores crimes with no economic motive - vandalism