Strain Theory
The Strain Theory, developed by Robert Merton, suggests that people who find their way blocked and do not experience equal opportunity are more likely to follow a deviant path (Henslin, 229). They will easily find problems in the system and have a hard time accepting cultural norms. This suggests that our society is creating criminals, sending them to prison, hoping they’ll shape up, and then reintroducing them into the same defective social system. The Department of Defense admits, “We know the problem. Tens of thousands of disaffected, under-educated, and poorly prepared youth, seeing little hope for a future in their traditional communities, band together in criminal organizations” (Brownfield). Once this disconnect with society has been created, there becomes a need to be involved in a new culture, and gangs are there to provide it. Our society constantly forces the message, “What is better, more or less? (see At&T Commercial)” and responds, “More.” Youths who are searching for acceptance, but don’t have the means to keep up with the norm, will move towards delinquency and find gangs waiting to welcome them. Everyone is responsible for his/her own actions, but it is easy to see the role society plays in influencing human behavior.