Identity Fraud & General Strain Theory
Anyone who uses the Internet is aware of the growing threat of identity fraud. Millions of people each year fall for phishing scams where con artists send out phony emails in the hopes of acquiring sensitive financial information. Everyone from sociologists to computer security experts have their own theories of why people commit this crime. One of the most popular is general strain theory.
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What Is General Strain Theory
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The original strain theory gave a rather simple explanation for crime: sometimes it was the only way for the lower class to achieve monetary wealth. Society "expects" one to own such things as a car and a house. If one does not have this, society puts a "strain" on the person to gain wealth, and often the easiest way to wealth is through crime. This theory generally died out in the 1960s.
Robert Agnew, a sociology professor at Emory University, breathed new life into this theory during the 1980s by broadening the scope of the original strain theory. Agnew's modified strain theory includes such motivation as socioeconomic class and personal identity.
Money
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General strain theory clearly believes that criminals desire more than just money when leading a life of crime, although most criminals do desire to acquire a great deal of wealth. Many identity thieves come from countries with little opportunity for those with computer training. General strain would likely agree that desire for wealth plays an important part in identity fraud.
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Masculinity
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General strain theory also factors in the desire to achieve status as a powerful and masculine person. Masculinity takes different forms, but many see criminal acts as a quick way for someone to be seen as a strong figure. Identity thieves often take joy in the fact that they are outsmarting other people and making a living off of the hard work of others. The fact that many people who commit identity theft do so for petty reasons could lend credence to a link between general strain theory's masculinity trait and identity fraud.
Autonomy
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A third major component of modern strain theory believes that people also commit crimes to achieve an autonomous lifestyle from their usual low position in society. This also returns to the goals component of strain theory. Committing identity fraud can give people from developing nations a lifestyle not widely enjoyed in their country.
Criticism
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While general strain theory has gained more acceptance in modern criminology than the original strain theory, many argue that modern strain theory has a hard time explaining middle class crime and by virtue, a lot of identity fraud. Almost half of identity fraud is committed by a close relative of the victim. General strain theory has a hard time explaining why a child would steal from her parents or a brother from a sibling.
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