Unit 3 theoretical criminology anomie theory

Lecturer Merton Theory and Crime Robert Merton is an American sociologist who had diverse interest on mass communication, sociological theory and sociology of science. Like many criminologists and sociologists, Merton was primarily interested in explaining the major root of social deviance. Of important to note is that unlike many theorists, Merton argues that various groups take part in criminal behavior as they are responding to the various social circumstances in their lives. Merton notes that deviance and crime are mainly as a result of imbalance seen in the social order whereby individuals use the most convenient and efficient ways to achieve their goals including crime (Akers and Sellers 45).
Indeed, the above fact can be used to account for white-collar crime. Of interesting to note is that mertonian approaches leaned towards white-collar crime and the anomie theory was used in explaining this kind of crime. This is based on the fact that the theory tends to explain why crime occurs and as such this can be used to explain why there is occurrence of white collar crime. Notably, criminals adopting cultural endorsed objective or goals of financial success illegally mainly characterize white-collar crime. Most white-collar crimes are related to the need of the offenders to gain money or other stuffs in order to fit in particular social classes or culture. This is more seen in criminals who are out there to become richer than before. As such, social and cultural factors, as considered by Merton, influence white collar jobs (Gomme 56).
To emphasize on this, some researches carried out have showed that most convicted white collar criminals were caught while still working and they claim that they were trying to achieve economic success through illegal means (Akers and Sellers 45). As such, they can be said to be innovators given that at the time of committing crime they were after economic success. Innovators are considered to be those individuals who continually embrace material and monetary success as a goal to follow; however, they turn to criminal activities to achieve this success.
Street gangs are groups formed mainly youth who are not capable of obtaining what they require through conventional means. Indeed, through these streets groups, the individuals find money and friendship and most of what they desire. Using strain theory, one may attempt to explain how various factors such as homelessness, poverty, lack of opportunity and parenting largely contribute to the formation of crime and crime (Warner and Flower 511). In relation to this, it is important to note that these kinds of gangs are formed in lower class individuals and as argued by the theory, such individuals are in a social and cultural set up which is not balanced. This is fuelled by the fact that the American cultures glorify material and monetary successes; therefore, urging youth to form street gangs in order to fit in the society. It is generally believed among researchers most young people from lower class society tend to look for ways to meet their peers expectation and as such, street become the perfect way(Warner and Flower 511).
Work Cited
Akers, R. and Sellers, C. Criminological Theories, Evaluation and Application. New York: Oxford University, 2009. Print.
Gomme, McDermid. The Shadow Line: Deviance and Crime in Canada. Toronto: Thomson Nelson, 2007. Print.
Warner, B. and Flower, S. ” Strain and violence: testing a general strain theory model of community violence.” Journal of Criminal Justice, 31. 6 (2003); 511.