Building on the foundation of general strain theory: specifying the types of strain most likely to lead to crime and delinquency

General strain theory GST is usually tested by examining the effect of strain on crime. Researchers, however, have little guidance when it comes to selecting among the many hundreds of types of strain and have trouble explaining why only some of them are related to crime. This article builds on GST...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Agnew, Robert 1953- (Author)
Format: Electronic/Print Article
Language:English
Published: 2001
In: Journal of research in crime and delinquency
Year: 2001, Volume: 38, Issue: 4, Pages: 319-361
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
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Availability in Tübingen:Present in Tübingen.
IFK: In: Z 31
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Summary:General strain theory GST is usually tested by examining the effect of strain on crime. Researchers, however, have little guidance when it comes to selecting among the many hundreds of types of strain and have trouble explaining why only some of them are related to crime. This article builds on GST by describing the characteristics of strainful events and conditions that influence their relationship to crime. Strains are said to be most likely to result in crime when they 1 are seen as unjust, 2 are seen as high in magnitude, 3 are associated with low social control, and 4 create some pressure or incentive to engage in criminal coping. Drawing on these characteristics, it is predicted that some types of strain will not be related to crime, including types that have dominated the research on strain theory, and that others will be related to crime, including types that have been neglected by empirical researchers
ISSN:0022-4278
DOI:10.1177/0022427801038004001