Case Study: Strain Theory

Jeanine is a sixteen-year-old female who is of African Canadian decent. When Jeanine was younger she witnessed her father abuse her mother while also being sexually abused by him as well. After being held in a detention facility for the past year, Jeanine has been convicted of 2nd degree murder. She was part of an Aboriginal street gang and because of this she was a part of the shooting of a sixteen-year-old male who had an outstanding drug debt towards the gang. The gang members have also traded Jeanine as a sexual object. Before she was charged Jeanine had a cocaine addiction along with a history of violence. Jeanine does not like authority whatsoever, has gotten herself into multiple physical fights and is resistant to forms of treatment which could help her in the long run. Although Jeanine seems like a troubled

Strain Theory states that people are born innocent and with good intentions but society causes them to commit crimes (cite). After reading this case it seems as through Jeanine is a troubled youth who because of strain in her family due to her sexual abuse has led her to become affiliated with an Aboriginal gang. This gang although has also placed strain on Jeanine because of the sexual exploitation she has faced with them as well. Jeanine has proven to be a very smart and athletic girl which shows her innocent and good intentions in life; but through the strain she has felt, reaching out to a gang and feeling as though she is important and incorporated into something, possibly for the first time, has led her to commit violent crimes. Her violence and delinquent behaviours could be a form of her reaching out for help because it seems as though her mother and father will not give her that form of relief. According Strain theory a juvenile who hates and/or dislikes their parents should be higher in delinquency in comparison to another juvenile who just simply does not care about their parental