Examining Strain in a School Context

Abstract

General strain theory has accumulated a considerable amount of empirical support. Many of these assessments have tested the direct relationship that strain has on crime and delinquency. The research presented here examines the relationship between schools and delinquency within a general strain theory perspective. More specifically, this research examines how schools can not only act as a source of an individual's strain and subsequent delinquency but also be a source for mediating or coping with strain and minimizing delinquency. To test the relationship between schools and delinquency, data from the National Educational Longitudinal Survey (NELS:88) are analyzed in a model of general strain that specifies sources of school-based strain and sources of school-based mechanisms for controlling strain.

Status concerns as a motive for crime?

“…The possibility of obtaining higher status utility from achieving a consumption level higher than that of the reference group similarly dovetails with strain theory, as Merton suggests that personal success and satisfaction derive not only from goal attainment but also from surpassing others (Lee and Cohen 2008). In this way, our paper may reconcile economic and sociological approaches to crime, which have often been perceived as incompatible.…”

“…More recent contributions concerning the relationship between strain and crime include the general strain theory developed by Agnew (2006b) and the institutional anomie theory proposed by Messner and Rosenfeld (2001). Strain theory has accumulated a considerable amount of empirical support (Lee and Cohen 2008). Our analysis may be interpreted as a simple formal operationalization of important aspects of the theory, as it closely mirrors the concept of relative deprivation referred to above.…”

“Do Unstructured Routines Modify the Link Between Social-Psychological Strain and Adolescent Offending?”

“…Although great discrepancies between objective and subjective strain exist (Froggio and Agnew 2007;Diener and Suh 1997;Huebner 2004), and although subjective strain is more likely to be associated with delinquency (Agnew 2006a:193), most empirical research is based on objective measures (a.o. Agnew et al 2002;Francis 2007;Hagan and McCarthy 1992;Hoffmann and Cerbone 1999;Hoffmann and Ireland 2004;Jang and Johnson 2003;Katz 2000;Lee and Cohen 2008;Ostrowsky and Messner 2005;Maxwell 2001;Mazerolle et al 2000;Mazerolle and Piquero 1998;Moon et al 2007;Morash and Moon 2007;Slocum et al 2005). Within these studies, respondents were asked whether they experienced certain life events, but their subjective evaluation of these events or conditions was not included.…”

A regulação da conduta delituosa pela escola: um estudo comparativo entre adolescentes judiciarizados e não-judiciarizados no contexto brasileiro

“…Sublinha-se que aproximadamente um quinto de todos os estudos que compõem a presente revisão foi empreendido a esse respeito (Beeck, Pauwels, & Put, 2012;Dodge, Greenberg, & Malone, 2008;Hemphill et al, 2010;Janosz et al, 2008;Lee & Cohen, 2008;Levin & Madfis, 2009;Lösel et al, 2007;Lowe, May, & Elrod, 2008;Lynne-Landsman et al, 2011;Mrug & Windle, 2009;Nofziger, 2009;Payne, 2008;Reid & Sullivan, 2009;Seaton, 2007;Wei, Jonson-Reid, & Tsao, 2007;Wynne & Joo, 2010;Zaine, Reis, & Padovani, 2010 (Egli et al, 2010).…”

“…Uma estratégia de prevenção neste contexto seria tentar melhorar a organização escolar, com vistas a minimizar a exposição dos alunos a situações de violência (Beeck et al, 2012;Lee & Cohen, 2008 Infere-se, pelos estudos apresentados, alguns possíveis preditores para a vitimização por pares na escola: observação de práticas de violência, experiências prévias de vitimização, baixo desempenho, ausência de regras, fraca supervisão de adultos e pouco controle disciplinar pela instituição educacional. Outros autores acrescentam a presença de gangues e drogas na escola, a participação muito ativa em atividades extracurriculares e alta renda familiar (Dodge et al, 2008;Lowe et al, 2008;Wynne & Joo, 2010 A grande quantidade de pesquisas acerca do tema da vitimização por pares traduz a relevância que esse tem adquirido.…”