Best theories explain crime - Essay Example

There are numerous theories such as rational choice theory, strain theory, social disorganization theory, social learning theory, and social control theory, labeling theory as well as biology, genetics and evolution. Although there are many theories that have been put forward to explain why some people have high propensity to commit crime, I find strain theory to be the most suitable for explaining crime. Robert Merton, a sociologist from the United States, was the first to assess criminal behavior using Strain Theory in 1938.

According to Merton’s Strain theory, all members of the society have the same aspirations, but have varying opportunities or abilities to achieve their aspirations (Agnew & Brezina, 2010). Consequently some people will fail to achieve what the society expects of them through accepted ways like embracing hard work first then enjoying the fruits of labor later in life. Merton identified and explored five basic adaptations of people who cannot legitimately achieve the societal aspirations. These include: innovation, rebellion, conformity, retreatism and ritualism (Rios, 2007).

Conformity is where a person acknowledges that he or she cannot attain goals expected by the society and embrace the limited opportunities within their reach. Innovation is where an individual resort to illegal means to attain societal goals. Rebellion is where an individual disowns both societal goals as well as the means of achieving them and decides to give life a different approach. Retreatism also rejects societal goals and means of attaining them while ritualism is where an individual gives up hope on societal goals, but still embraces the means of achieving them (Rios, 2007).

The choice of Merton’s Strain theory as the most appropriate for explaining crime is informed by its pragmatic approach and coverage. Strain theory further takes into consideration cognitive dissonance for every societal member in examining the tendency of