Robert Merton’s theory of anomie is a fundamental criminality theory that explains how people may get involved in criminal activities through illegitimate opportunities aimed at achieving desired goals in a society (Abadinsky, 2016). According to Merton theory, individuals engage in criminal behavior in order to respond normally to the social status in which they find themselves. Basing his theory on the United States society, Merton observes that the ultimate goal of the majority of Americans is to attain wealth which he terms as” American Dream.” However, Merton notes that not all Americans have the same opportunities and advantages to attain their dream especially minorities and disadvantaged groups. In this case, those without legitimate means to attain their dreams experience anomie causing them to turn to deviant behavior for them to attain their goals (Abadinsky, 2016).
Further, Merton notes that individuals can respond to the problem of anomie in various ways including conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. To explain organized crime, Merton utilizes his second category innovation which entails the adoption of unconventional means of achieving desired goals (Abadinsky, 2016). This approach is normally adopted when a person fails to attain conventional goals by approved means, thus, the origin of modern-day criminality. The theory describes innovators as those individuals who embrace monetary success as their key goal but who later deviate and invent their own illegal strategies in order to achieve society’s success after realizing that their social status limits their access to legitimate means of success (Abadinsky, 2016).
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Organized crime as a result of innovation adaptation is most prevalent among the poor and minorities since their deviant behavior is a normal response to their cultural as it emphasis upon monetary success (Abadinsky, 2016). Organized crimes such as theft, drug trafficking, robbery, hijacking, and smuggling are key examples of innovation adaptation.
References
Abadinsky, H. (2016). Organized crime, Eleventh Edition. Boston, MA; Cengage Learning.
