General Strain and Non-Strain Theories: A Study of Crime in Emerging Adulthood

• NCJ Number: 238865
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 40 Issue: 3 Dated: May/June 2012 Pages: 176-186
• Author(s): Sung Joon Jang; Jeremy R. Rhodes
• Date Published: June 2012
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands

Annotation

Given the limited research on the link between general strain theory (GST) and other criminological theories, this study examined whether non-strain variables of social bonding theory, social learning theory, and self-control theory, as well as negative emotions mediate and moderate the effects of strain on crime and drug use.

Abstract

In his proposals on GST, Agnew emphasizes how GST differs from other crime theories. He states that "Strain theory is distinguished from social control and social learning theory in its specification of the type of social relationship that leads to crime and the motivation for crime;" however, Agnew characterizes relationships between the theories as complementary rather than irreconcilable with each other. According to Agnew, strain has criminogenic effects "primarily" through negative emotional response to the strain; however, the effects are also mediated by other predictors of crime, such as low self-control and social control, as well as pro-criminal learning. This current study found that the non-strain variables of social bonds, low self-control, trait anger, and state depression/anxiety mediate the effects of strain on crime and drug use; on the other hand, hypotheses about the moderating effects of these variables received less support. Deviant peer association had neither a mediating nor moderating effects on strain variables. The study concludes that the central claims of GST should be expanded to include non-emotive mediators of the effects of strain on crime, given that negative emotions are not expected to be the sole mediator of the criminogenic effects of strain. Variables of GST and other theories were all constructed using Wave 3 data of the restricted use sample of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative survey of approximately 20,000 students all of whom were in grades 7 through 12. 2 tables, 1 figure, and 62 references