Strain Theory Revisited: Economic Goals, Educational Means, and Delinquency

Abstract

Merton's theory of strain and crime has withstood half a century of theoretical controversy, but recent disillusionment with its empirical verification has led many to reject it as a viable explanation for delinquency. We question that the theory has been falsified by evidence to this date, on the grounds that conceptual reinterpretations have differed from Merton's original statement. We examine the empirical and theoretical implications of the reconceptualization of strain implied in its current operationalization. Analyses of self-reported juvenile data indicate that the overall predictive validity of a measure based on the dysjunction of economic goals and educational means surpasses the more common measure of a dysjunction between educational aspirations and expectations. The theoretical implications of this measurement issue are illustrated in the context of ongoing controversy about the redundancy of strain, when commitment alone (a partial component of strain) seems adequate to predict delinquency. (Abstract Adapted from Source: American Sociological Review, 1989. Copyright © 1989 by the American Sociological Association) Strain Theory Educational Factors Educational Attainment Delinquency Causes Delinquency Prediction Juvenile Offender Juvenile Delinquency 07-02