The core idea of general strain theory (GST) is quite simple: individuals who experience strains or stressors often become upset and sometimes cope with crime. Such individuals may engage in crime to end or escape from their strains. For example, an individual with a desperate need for money may engage in theft or an adolescent being abused by her father may run away from home. Individuals may engage in crime to seek revenge against the source of their strains or related targets. For example, a student may assault the peers who are harassing him. And individuals may engage in crimes such as illicit drug use to make themselves feel better.
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Agnew, R. (2009). General Strain Theory. In: Krohn, M., Lizotte, A., Hall, G. (eds) Handbook on Crime and Deviance. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0245-0_9
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