1. Anomie refers to a lack of ethical or social standards. Both Merton and Durkheim assert that society is the source of crimes. However, they differ in the value of crimes to society. According to Durkheim, anomie refers to a situation where social norms become lose and can no longer hold over individual behavior. For Merton, he defines anomie as stains on individuals' behaviors due to conflict between the accepted norms and social reality.
2. Merton's theory focuses on the various acts of deviance instead of crimes themselves. The approach identifies five adaptation modes that are as a result of limited access to means and goals that are socially approved. The first mode is conformist. These are people who accept both goals and the prescribed means of attaining them. Innovators are those that receive the goals but have scarce legal means of achieving the goals. Third are the ritualists who abandon the goals and dedicate themselves to the current lifestyle. Fourth are the retreats that give up on both the goals and means of attaining them. The final mode is the rebel. Rebels reject the goals as well as strategies of achieving societal goals and create their own.
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3. Cohen’s Lower-Class Reaction theory assumes that crimes result from the union between young people into subcultures dominated by moral concepts and deviant values. Cohen believes that the majority of juvenile criminals belong to delinquent subcultures. He asserts that the union in subcultures is a result of changes and status challenges among individuals due to the bias of the current social class.
4. Differential opportunity theory argues that people, specifically teens from low socioeconomic backgrounds, have few opportunities to succeed hence using any means available to attain their success. The theory refers to these means as the subcultures. Subcultures are groups that have cultural patterns that set apart some segment of society. According to Ohlin and Cloward, the three types of deviant subcultures include conflict, criminal, and retreatist subcultures.
5. The social learning theory by Bandura asserts that learning is based on the significance of behaviors observation and modeling, emotional reaction, and attitude. He argues that learning in human beings occurs in a continuous interaction of the behavioral, cognitive, and environmental impacts. Both the internal and external factors influence the ability of an individual to learn.
6. Subterranean values are defined as the values that cause deviation behind behavior like excitement and thrill-seeking. Usually, these values happen within the dominant culture but are often blocked except in appropriate legal settings. They represent themes and patterns that are hidden in the culture. Examples of these values include illicit sexual behavior, substance abuse, and slick business practices.
7. Hirschi’s social control theory argues that bonds in a family, school, and other societal aspects reduce one's propensity for deviant behavior. The theory suggests that crimes are committed when such relationships are weakened. I agree with the theory's assertion that commitment, attachment, belief, and involvement influence people's social control. Lack of right guidance from adults can cause children to engage in criminal activities.
8. All the development theories address the development of the criminal and antisocial behaviors, factors that enhance delinquency or engaging in crimes at various ages, and the effect of life events on life course development. The difference between Farrington and Sampson and Laub's theory is that the latter assert that weak social bonds increase delinquency among youths. Farrington’s theory asserts that antisocial behavior causes people to develop antisocial bonding.
9. Theory-policy connection asserts that crime policies, activities, and programs are contemporary guided by theories. Explanation of the cause of criminal behavior in the form of theory develops a foundation for dealing with crimes and criminal behaviors. These are the policies. The theoretical and methodological findings always guide policy efforts. The theory addresses questions on how and why crime and criminal actions occur while the results are the policies that provide attempts on how to address the crimes.
