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Group 1 Social WORK Deviation

BS in Social Work (Cotabato State University)

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GROUP 1 SOCIAL WORK DEVIATION

Strain theory
What is strain theory?

 Strain theory is a sociological concept that seeks to explain deviant behavior within society. It
was 昀椀rst developed by American sociologist Robert K. Merton in the 1930s and has since
been expanded upon by various scholars. The theory suggests that societal structures and
ins琀椀tu琀椀ons can create strains or pressures on individuals, leading them to engage in deviant
behavior as a means of coping with these strains.
 Strain Theory is a criminological theory that suggests that people who experience strain or
stress are more likely to engage in criminal behavior. This strain can be caused by a variety of
factors, such as poverty, inequality, or discrimina琀椀on. According to this theory, when
individuals cannot achieve their goals through legi琀椀mate means, they may resort to criminal
ac琀椀vity as a way to cope with their frustra琀椀on and achieve their objec琀椀ves. Strain Theory has
been used to explain various forms of criminal behavior, including drug use, the昀琀, and
violence. (BRITANNICA.COM)

According to strain theory, there are various types of strain that individuals may experience:

1. Structural strain
 This refers to the disconnect between societal goals (such as 昀椀nancial success, status,
etc.) and the legi琀椀mate means available to achieve these goals. When individuals are
unable to achieve success through conven琀椀onal means, they may resort to deviant
behavior.
2. Individual Strain
 This relates to the internal pressures and con昀氀icts experienced by individuals when
they are unable to meet societal expecta琀椀ons or achieve their own goals. This could
include feelings of aliena琀椀on, frustra琀椀on, or anomie (a sense of normlessness or lack
of direc琀椀on).
3. Cultural strain
 This refers to the disjunc琀椀on between cultural goals and the means available to
achieve them. When individuals are socialized to value certain goals but lack the
means to a琀琀ain them, they may experience strain.

Strain theory suggests that individuals respond to these strains in di昀昀erent ways, one of which may
be deviant behavior. Merton iden琀椀昀椀ed 昀椀ve possible modes of individual adapta琀椀on to strain:

1. Conformity
 Individuals accept both societal goals and the means to achieve them, leading to
socially acceptable behavior
2. Innova琀椀on
 Individuals accept societal goals but reject the legi琀椀mate means to achieve them,
leading to deviant behavior as they seek alterna琀椀ve means of success.
3. Ritualism
 Individuals reject societal goals but con琀椀nue to adhere rigidly to the legi琀椀mate
means, resul琀椀ng in a sense of rou琀椀ne or ritualis琀椀c behavior without the aspira琀椀on
for success.
4. Retrea琀椀sm

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 Individuals reject both societal goals and the means to achieve them, o昀琀en
withdrawing from society and engaging in behaviors such as substance abuse or
homelessness.
5. Rebellion
 Individuals reject both societal goals and the means to achieve them but seek to
replace exis琀椀ng societal structures with alterna琀椀ve ones.

CONCLUSION:

 Overall, Strain theory is a useful tool for comprehending how societal structures and cultural
values can shape individual behavior, par琀椀cularly in the context of deviance and crime. Strain
theory posits that when individuals experience strain, they may experience frustra琀椀on and
resort to criminal ac琀椀vity as a means of achieving their objec琀椀ves

Differential association theory

 States that criminal behavior is learned when you associate with other people who indulge in
criminal behavior. Example: A child grows up in a home where the parents rou琀椀nely commit
criminal acts. The child would grow up believing that these acts are not as wrong as society
says they are.

There are two keywords in the term that make its meaning clearer di昀昀eren琀椀al and associa琀椀on

Associa琀椀on- simply implies being in contact with other people.

Di昀昀eren琀椀al- The word di昀昀eren琀椀al implies that di昀昀erent kinds of associa琀椀ons will yield di昀昀erent
behavioral outcomes.

Differential Association Theory Definition

Sutherland (1950) – “Criminal behavior is learned in interac琀椀on with persons in a pa琀琀ern of
communica琀椀on. A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of de昀椀ni琀椀ons favorable to
viola琀椀on of law over de昀椀ni琀椀ons unfavorable to viola琀椀ons of law.”

Cressey (1952) – “Persons acquire pa琀琀erns of criminal behavior in the same way they acquire
pa琀琀erns of lawful behavior- through learning in interac琀椀on with other persons. Contact with
delinquency or criminal behavior pa琀琀erns is the necessary condi琀椀on for criminality and that it is an
excess of contacts of this kind which causes criminality. “

Origins Of The Theory

 The di昀昀eren琀椀al associa琀椀on theory was proposed by the American sociologist and
criminologist, Edwin Sutherland. Sutherland is associated with the in昀氀uen琀椀al Chicago School
of Sociology.

Key Principles Of Differential Association Theory

1. Criminal behavior is learned.
2. Criminal behavior is learned from others who may be engaged in such behavior.
3. This process of learning criminal behavior occurs in small, in琀椀mate groups.
4. The learning process has two key components:

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a) Learning the techniques of criminal behavior, which may some琀椀mes be very complicated.
b) Learning how to ra琀椀onalize or jus琀椀fy these acts to the self and to others.

5. The act of ra琀椀onalizing criminal behavior to the self (what Sutherland termed “speci昀椀c
direc琀椀on of mo琀椀ves”) 昀椀rst involves having an awareness of the law. It is only when
individuals understand that certain acts transgress the law, that they then begin to jus琀椀fy
such transgression to themselves. (for instance, by thinking that the act is a minor
transgression or it is a vic琀椀mless crime, and so on.
6. When the balance of such jus琀椀昀椀ca琀椀ons to the self of transgressions of the law (or legal code)
exceeds instances when one chooses to follow the law, a person becomes delinquent.
7. Learning by associa琀椀on is di昀昀eren琀椀al in nature, which is to say, the frequency, intensity,
dura琀椀on, etc. of such associa琀椀on varies, and is the deciding factor in the eventual in昀氀uence
of such associa琀椀on on a person.
8. Such learning of criminal behavior by associa琀椀on with others is no di昀昀erent than the manner
in which we learn all other pa琀琀erns of behavior in life. Which is to say, there is no special
manner in which criminal behavior is imbibed.
9. It is true that criminal behavior is driven by mo琀椀ves such as the need to ful昀椀l certain desires
and the cultural values one imbibes. However, this alone is not jus琀椀昀椀ca琀椀on enough as others
with similar needs and values may not engage in criminal behavior.

Differential Association Theory Examples

1. Organized Crime Families
 Organized crime is an area that other theories in criminology such as cultural deviance
theory and social disorganiza琀椀on theory
2. Public Corrup琀椀on
 The di昀昀eren琀椀al associa琀椀on theory e昀昀ec琀椀vely explains white-collar crimes, unlike other
theories that mainly focus on blue-collar crimes.

Criticisms Of Differential Association Theory

1. An Overreliance on Associa琀椀on
 The cri琀椀cism of the di昀昀eren琀椀al associa琀椀on theory is that it ignores self- mo琀椀vated criminals
and crimes driven by psychological or biological factors like kleptomania or crimes of passion.
2. In琀椀mate Associa琀椀on May Not Always be a Precondi琀椀on
 Sutherland believed criminal behavior is acquired in small groups, not through mass media.
However, in the current age of social media, this dynamic may have shi昀琀ed.
3. Assumes Lack of Agency
 People can be around nega琀椀ve in昀氀uences and s琀椀ll have the moral and cri琀椀cal reasoning to
reject them

Social Control Theory

What is Social control?

 Social Control Theory suggests that people are naturally inclined to engage in criminal
behavior, and ins琀椀tu琀椀ons like the family, schools, and the criminal jus琀椀ce system, work
together to control individuals and prevent them from engaging in deviant behavior.

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TRAVIS HIRSCHI

 This theory was developed by Travis Hirschi in the late twen琀椀eth century and 昀椀rst published
by him in 1969. He stated that the presence or lack of e昀昀ec琀椀veness of social controls on
individuals were key in昀氀uences in their decisions to engage in criminal ac琀椀vity. Those who
commit crimes do so because they feel no obliga琀椀on to abide by the rules of a society to
which they have no allegiance or connec琀椀on.
 Author of the Social Bond Theory • Hirschi was born in 1935 and graduated from University
of Arizona • His theories integrated di昀昀erent theories and a琀琀empted to disprove the
consistencies of other theories.
 His theories show li琀琀le interest in race, gender, and class.
HIRSCHI'S PERSPECTIVES

BENEFITS

 People feel something they like.

 People are mo琀椀vated to acquire wants.
 People assert a desired level of control.
 People have an a琀琀rac琀椀on to illegal tempta琀椀ons

Consequences

 People feel or would feel something they don't like.

 The cost of acquiring the want is severe
 Social control strength a昀昀ects criminal ac琀椀vity.
 Social Bonds control the a琀琀rac琀椀on to illegal tempta琀椀ons and ensure conformity. (Hancock,
2004)

Hirschi's Social Bond Theory of Delinquency

ATTACHMENTS

 The rela琀椀onships established with others, especially parents. A琀琀achments are formed
through the use of in琀椀mate communica琀椀on.
 Parents can develop a method of indirect control. Which means, youngsters refrain from
deviant behavior because the parents rela琀椀onship is psychologically present. They do want
to disappoint.
 People feel or would feel something they don't like. The cost of acquiring the want is severe
Social control strength a昀昀ects criminal ac琀椀vity. Social Bonds control the a琀琀rac琀椀on to illegal
tempta琀椀ons and ensure conformity. (Hancock, 2004)

COMMITMENT

 The higher educa琀椀onal and occupa琀椀onal aspira琀椀ons an individual holds, the higher the cost
for turning to crime. Conforming to social standards becomes a higher priority in achieving
speci昀椀c set goals. (Lily, 2011)
 It is only ra琀椀onal for a person to be concerned with his or her own self -interest.

INVOLVEMENT

 People are less likely to be involved in criminal ac琀椀vity when involved in ac琀椀vi琀椀es such as
sports, school ac琀椀vi琀椀es, homework, and their recrea琀椀onal pursuits.
 The less 琀椀me available for leisure equals less 琀椀me to get in trouble.

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 Devo琀椀ng energy to produc琀椀ve task reduces the chances to o昀昀end.

BELIEF

 People with a strong moral belief in the law are less likely to engage in criminal ac琀椀vity.
 Beliefs are based on a constant social reinforcement.
 A fundamental understanding of right and wrong is crucial to reducing criminal ac琀椀vity.
 Core Values

Juvenile Delinquency and Social Control

Social Control

 Under the Social Control Theory, delinquency increases when the social bond between child
and society is broken.
 The rela琀椀onship between the social environment and a琀�tudes contribute to adolescent
delinquent behavior.
 Weakened social bonds are precursors to juvenile delinquency (Menasco, 2005).

Juvenile Delinquency

 Crime rates are higher in juveniles and decline with age (Hopson, 2002).
 There are at least 3 million juveniles under 18 arrested yearly of arrests (Menasco, 2005).
 "A 70% increase of juveniles transferred to adult court between the late 1980s and the
beginning of the 1990s (Menasco, 2005 para3)."

Bene昀椀ts in Applying the Social Control Theory to Juveniles

 Juveniles are impressionable and can be in昀氀uenced by posi琀椀ve social bonds.

 Juveniles are not as set in their ways as adults. Overcoming bad habits is easier.
 Juveniles have several life decisions to make which a昀昀ect them for years to come.
 Juveniles also undergo many physical changes which adjust hormone levels.

Conclusion:

 Juveniles need to be provided with the appropriate social bonds. Future crime rates can only
be a昀昀ected if the criminal jus琀椀ce system begins to apply the principles of the social control
theory. Give the youth of America set expecta琀椀ons, guidance, support, and the solu琀椀on
begins.

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