Theory Case Study- Erik and Lyle Menendez
Juvenile delinquency is one of the alarming issues that has attracted many to study its causes to come up with solutions to this vice. One of the juvenile delinquency cases is that of Erik Menendez, aged 17, murdering his parents (Joseph and Kitty) on 20th, August 1989 assisted by his brother, Lyle Menendez, aged 21. On the ordeal night, Erik and Lyle had gone for a night out when two men shot their parents dead. A girl was awaiting her boyfriend when she saw two men who looked like Erik and Lyle took something from their car and entered their parents’ house where their parents were relaxing. They shot their father twice, on the left arm and right elbow then the head that left him lifeless. Kitty tried to run, but she was shot on the right calf and arm. They then shot her on her breast, which saw her lung pierced. She was not dead yet. The boys on running out of their ammunition went for more from the car and shot her on her cheek which left her dead.
The boys then left collected the casings and left to dispose of them. Nothing was stolen from the house, making the police suspect the boys. They were questioned by the police where they both denied the charges and were released. They planned their parents’ funeral and later on took the parents’ money to do the shopping and live a luxurious life of expensive cars. Later, Erik visited a psychotherapist and disclosed to him that they murdered their parents. When Lyle realized this, he threatened the psychotherapist, who in turn reported the case to the police. The two boys were sentenced to death without parole.
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Erik and Lyle’s case can be best analyzed using strain theory. Strain theory, developed by Robert K. Merton holds the view that society pushes people to commit crimes because of the many expectations it places on them without giving them means. Strained social interactions force people to engage in criminal activities. According to Agnew, 2006, an environment is a major contributor to juvenile delinquency. Erik and Lyle’s home environment pushed them into crime. The home was very strict with the parents taking nothing less than perfect from the boys. The parents dictated on what they could eat, do and whom to associate with. The boys were expected to be good at all games as well as subjects failure to which they were blow-beaten by their father. The pressure to succeed made them look for a way of being powerful and wealthy. Killing their parents to inherit their wealth became an option and ended up murdering Jose and Kitty. The strict home environment and strained relationship with the parents pushed Erik and Lyle to the act of delinquency.
However, the strain theory does not take into account that some perpetrators have adequate resources to achieve their goals, like in the case of Erik and Lyle. They came from a wealthy family with resources to make them succeed as the parents required. The life-course theory can best explain this aspect. The boys were in a transition for they wanted independence and power to make their own decisions. The parents being a hindrance to this, they murdered them. The deterrence theory can also explain this theory in that the two boys were fully aware of what they were doing and had weighed out the benefits and dangers of committing the crime. They were aware that they could be caught, so they fled to dispose of the shell castings and their clothes. The benefits they wanted to gain were independence, wealth and feel powerful.
Conclusively, Erik’s case of murdering his parents assisted by his brother was a case of juvenile delinquency which can be explained using the Strain theory. The boys grew up in a very strict home environment with the parents pushing them to be perfect. The urge to be powerful, wealthy and independent pushed them to murder their parents. However, this theory does not explain some aspects of the case; thus, other theories such as life-course and deterrence theories can be applied to understand the case better.
References
Agnew, R. (2006). General Strain Theory: Current Status and Directions for Further Research. In F. T. Cullen, J. P. Wright, & K. R. Blevins ( Eds.), Advances in criminological theory: Vol. 15. Taking stock: The status of criminological theory (p.101-123). Transaction Publishers.
Crime and Investigation Network. (2012).The crimes: The Menendez Brothers. www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk
