s, and peers unintentionally reinforced occasional, trivial antisocial behavior and caused it to become more serious in adolescence; failure to reinforce prosocial behavior can have the same effect. His version of social learning theory omits SutherlandÆs concept of definitions favorable to law violations.
The evidence on social learning theory shows that family and peer influences are linked to criminal and delinquent behavior, harsh parental discipline results in a higher likelihood of criminality, and broken homes or family discord result in a higher probability of antisocial behavior. Prevention of criminal conduct and delinquency can be sought through programs like Achievement Place, where offenders live in a teaching-family group home. Another option is behavior contracting, in which parents are taught how to manage behavior appropriately. Token economies treatment gives plastic tokens for acceptable behaviors. Therapeutic community (TC) uses group counseling and prosocial value reinforcement.
The strain theory developed by Robert K. Merton contends that oneÆs needs must be in proportion to oneÆs ability to satisfy them and that many behavioral problems arise by oneÆs failing to become part of a social group. MertonÆs theory involved anomieùpeopleÆs lack of a social identityùand the gap that occurs between the goals that societies create for people and their ability to achieve them by means other than crime. Albert Cohen also contributed to this theory, focusing more on lower-status youth. Strain theory views crime as being more concentrated in lower social strata, which evidence supports. Age and gender are notable factors because the teens and twenties, particularly for males, are the time individuals are under the greatest pressure to become financially independent. School failure predicts criminality, as do downturns in employment and the economy. Strain theory suggests that children who want to become...