The Effects of Criminal Propensity and Strain on Later Offending

2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (13) ◽  
pp. 1655-1681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Craig ◽  
Stephanie M. Cardwell ◽  
Alex R. Piquero
Keyword(s):  
Antisocial Behavior ◽  
General Strain Theory ◽  
Strain Theory ◽  
Adolescent Offenders ◽  
Longitudinal Sample ◽  
Criminal Propensity ◽  
Vicarious Victimization ◽  
General Strain ◽  
The Impact

Recently, Agnew has narrowed the focus of General Strain Theory by arguing certain factors must converge for criminal coping to occur. Specifically, individuals must have certain crime-related traits, experience strains that are perceived as unjust and high in magnitude, and occur in situations that encourage criminal coping. A longitudinal sample of serious adolescent offenders was used to assess the impact of direct and vicarious victimization on later offending among those with higher and lower criminal propensity. Regardless of their criminal propensity, youth who experienced victimization were more likely to engage in antisocial behavior compared with those who were not victimized. The results are mixed regarding Agnew’s thesis and suggest that victimization experiences may push justice-involved youth into further crime.

The Strain From Procedural Injustice on Parolees: Bridging Procedural Justice Theory and General Strain Theory

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Liu ◽  
Christy A. Visher ◽  
Daniel J. O’Connell
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Procedural Justice ◽  
General Strain Theory ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Prisoner Reentry ◽  
Strain Theory ◽  
Criminal Propensity ◽  
Procedural Injustice ◽  
General Strain ◽  
Using Data

The procedural justice literature explains why people obey the law. However, prior research has largely neglected the implication of procedural justice in the correctional context in general and in parole efficacy in particular. In an attempt to bridge the propositions of procedural justice and general strain theory, this study assesses the effect of parolees’ perceived procedural injustice on their success in reentry. Using data from a longitudinal study of prisoner reentry, we investigate the nexus of procedural injustice, negative emotions, family bonds, and postrelease criminal propensity. Findings indicate that procedural injustice increases criminal propensity, and the negative emotion of depression partially mediates this relationship. We also find parolees’ family bonds totally mediate the effect of procedural injustice on criminal propensity.

scholarly journals Are the Effects of Poverty and Victimization on Criminal Recidivism Mediated by Depression as Predicted by General Strain Theory? A Longitudinal Study of Provincially Sentenced Women

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Newman
Keyword(s):  
General Strain Theory ◽  
Female Offenders ◽  
Strain Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Criminal Recidivism ◽  
General Strain ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Provincially Sentenced

The current study is a longitudinal analysis of psychosocial factors contributing to re-offending among 125 adult female offenders. Drawing on General Strain Theory (GST), the study examined the role of victimization and poverty on criminal recidivism and investigated whether this relationship was mediated by depression. Regression, survival, and mediational analyses were employed to examine the impact of these variables on criminal recidivism. Findings revealed that using illegal means to make ends meet, and having survived childhood sexual abuse, were particularly important predictors of recidivism for women in the study sample, although depression was not found to significantly mediate the relationship between strain and recidivism. Implications for future research on female recidivism and helping women to stay crime-free are discussed.

Examining How Testosterone and Cortisol Influence the Relationship Between Strain, Negative Emotions, and Antisocial Behavior: A Gendered Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (10) ◽  
pp. 1470-1501
Author(s):  
Eric M. Cooke ◽  
Eric J. Connolly ◽  
Danielle L. Boisvert ◽  
Todd A. Armstrong ◽  
Richard H. Lewis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Antisocial Behavior ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
General Strain Theory ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Strain Theory ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
General Strain ◽  
The Relationship

This study provides a test of General Strain Theory by examining the relations between strain, negative emotions, and biological hormones in the prediction of antisocial behavior across gender. Findings from a diverse sample of 512 undergraduate students reveal that strain and the ratio between testosterone to cortisol reactivity are associated with higher levels of antisocial behavior in males, but not females. In contrast, the effect of depressive symptoms on antisocial behavior is stronger at higher levels of strain and ratio of testosterone to cortisol reactivity in females. Drug use and depressive symptoms were found to partly mediate the association between strain and antisocial behavior in females, but not males.

The Impact of Polyvictimization on Delinquency Among Latino Adolescents: A General Strain Theory Perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (17) ◽  
pp. 2647-2667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Cudmore ◽  
Carlos A. Cuevas ◽  
Chiara Sabina
Keyword(s):  
General Strain Theory ◽  
Delinquent Behavior ◽  
Latino Youth ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Strain Theory ◽  
Latino Adolescents ◽  
General Strain ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Although criminological research has provided support for general strain theory (GST), there is still little known about the relationship between victimization and delinquency among Latino adolescents. This study seeks to fill the gap in the literature by examining the association between a broader measure of victimization (i.e., polyvictimization) and delinquent behavior using data from the Dating Violence Among Latino Adolescents (DAVILA) Study, a national sample of Latino youth. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine two issues: (a) whether polyvictimization is associated with self-reported delinquent behavior and (b) whether anger mediates the relationship between polyvictimization and delinquency. Our findings provided partial support for GST among Latino youth. Specifically, the effect of polyvictimization on delinquency was explained in part by its effect on anger. Contrary to the theory’s hypothesis, the effect of polyvictimization was not conditional on the effect of social support. Overall, findings suggested that GST is a promising framework for understanding the relationship between polyvictimization and delinquency among Latino youth.

Strain During Reentry: A Test of General Strain Theory Using a Sample of Adult Former Prisoners

2021 ◽  
pp. 003288552110296
Author(s):  
Lin Liu ◽  
Christy A. Visher ◽  
Daniel J. O’Connell
Keyword(s):  
General Strain Theory ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Strain Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Financial Difficulty ◽  
Criminal Propensity ◽  
Former Prisoners ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
General Strain

The majority of reentry studies focus on identifying different dimensions of reentry needs among released prisoners. Less explored is the mechanism by which unfulfilled reentry needs cause reentry failure. Applying the general strain theoretical perspective, this study aims to use an emotional and psychological prism to explain why released prisoners are likely to experience reentry failure when their reentry needs are not met. Findings demonstrate that the strains from financial difficulty and family neglect are positively associated with post-release criminal propensity, and depression noticeably mediated the effects of strains. Implications for correctional policymaking and future research are discussed.

scholarly journals An Exploratory Study of COVID-19’s Impact on Psychological Distress and Antisocial Behavior Among Justice-Involved Youth

2021 ◽  
pp. 001112872110547
Author(s):  
Joan A. Reid ◽  
Tiffany Chenneville ◽  
Sarah M. Gardy ◽  
Michael T. Baglivio
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Antisocial Behavior ◽  
Race And Ethnicity ◽  
General Strain Theory ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Strain Theory ◽  
Latent Growth ◽  
Coping With Stress ◽  
Latent Growth Models ◽  
General Strain

Little is known about how justice-involved youth are coping with stress related to COVID-19. This study examined changes in psychological distress and antisocial behavior indicators among 557 youths on probation who completed two assessments during pre-COVID-19 conditions and two assessments during post-COVID-19 conditions. Drawing from Agnew’s General Strain Theory, the study used multivariate latent growth models to examine: (a) changes in psychological distress and antisocial behavior over time, (b) the associations of the changes, and (c) differences across sex, race, and ethnicity regarding changes in psychological distress. In support of General Strain Theory, results highlight that indicators of psychological distress and antisocial behavior increased during post-COVID-19 conditions when compared to pre-COVID-19 conditions for the full sample and for subsamples of youth categorized by sex, race, and ethnicity.

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