The Impact Of Societal Change On Crime Rates: A Contemporary Analysis Of Anomie Theory

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Yagya Shekhar, B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), Amity Law School, Amity University Rajasthan

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the evolution and ongoing relevance of Anomie Theory, first introduced by Émile Durkheim to explain how rapid social change weakens societal norms, leading to disconnection and deviance. Building on this, Robert K. Merton’s Strain Theory reinterprets anomie through the lens of structural inequality, arguing that when individuals lack equal access to legitimate means of achieving societal goals, they may adopt deviant paths. Further, Jón Gunnar Bernburg’s Institutional-Anomie Theory examines how capitalist societies prioritise economic success over institutional stability, weakening the regulatory roles of family, education, and religion, and thereby increasing crime. The paper analyses how economic and institutional disruptions shape criminal behaviour and highlights the continued relevance of these theories in a globalised world marked by inequality and social fragmentation. It also addresses key critiques, including limited attention to white-collar crime, individual agency, and identity. Ultimately, it presents anomie-based theories as essential to understanding crime as a structural issue, not merely a matter of personal morality.

Keywords: Anomie Theory, Strain Theory, Structural Inequality, Sociological Criminology, Crime and Social Change, Institutional Failure, Legal Theory and Crime

THE IMPACT OF SOCIETAL CHANGE ON CRIME RATES- A CONTEMPORARY ANALYSIS OF ANOMIE THEORY.pdf

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