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GENERAL STRAIN, STREET YOUTH AND CRIME: A TEST OF AGNEW'S REVISED THEORY *
Author(s) -
BARON STEPHEN W.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
criminology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.467
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1745-9125
pISSN - 0011-1384
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-9125.2004.tb00526.x
Subject(s) - general strain theory , attribution , psychology , criminal behavior , test (biology) , unemployment , social psychology , criminology , youth unemployment , relative deprivation , strain (injury) , juvenile delinquency , medicine , paleontology , economics , biology , economic growth
Using a sample of homeless street youth, this research examines how specific forms of strain–emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, homelessness and being a victim of robbery, violence or theft, relative deprivation, monetary dissatisfaction and unemployment–lead to crime and drug use. It also explores how strain is conditioned by deviant peers, deviant attitudes, external attributions, self‐esteem and self‐efficacy. The results reveal that all ten types of strain examined can lead to criminal behavior either as main effects or when interacting with conditioning variables. The results are discussed in light of general strain theory and suggestions are offered for future research on this topic.