According to Merton's strain theory,what are criminals doing when they commit crimes?
A) They are responding innovatively to societal contradictions.
B) They are exhibiting unintelligent and irrational behaviour.
C) They are showing underlying psychological pathologies.
D) They are expressing their frustrations with capitalism.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Merton's strain theory, criminals commit crimes as an innovative response to the societal contradictions they face. The strain theory posits that people turn to crime as a way to alleviate the pressure of not being able to achieve success through legitimate means due to structural constraints within society. Criminal behavior then becomes a way to attain material success and status in a system that is otherwise closed off to them.

According to Merton's Strain Theory,what Are Criminals Doing When They