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Testing Agnew’s General Strain Theory Among Incarcerated Women in the Republic of North Macedonia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2020

Angelina Stanojoska*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” – Bitola, Republic of North Macedonia
Julija Jurtoska
Affiliation:
Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” – Bitola, Republic of North Macedonia
*
*Corresponding Author: Angelina Stanojoska, Partizanska bb, 7000Bitola, Republic of North Macedonia. E-mail: angiest22@gmail.com, angelina.stanojoska@uklo.edu.mk

Abstract

What is the purpose of our study? Being written on a social–psychological level, general strain theory (GST) has been tested among adolescent populations. However, what has been very rarely analysed is the response to strain by different types of offenders and diverse populations. This study is even more valuable if we mention that until the beginning of our research, GST or any other criminological theory had not been tested on any population in the Republic of North Macedonia. Why study an incarcerated population? This population has neglected needs, inhumane living conditions, overcrowded penitentiary institutions, high levels of recidivism and poor use of alternative measures. The experience of incarcerated women is generally less known compared with those of incarcerated men; they have a low level of participation in the total number of crimes in the country, and there is a lack of criminological research on female criminality in general. The data collected focused on the influence of strain and negative emotions on the level of criminality. The results should help us to answer whether strain leads to negative emotions; then does strain influence female criminality and its level; and do negative emotions intermediate in between strain and the level of criminality?

Abstracto

Abstracto

¿Cuál es el propósito de nuestro estudio? Al estar escrito en un nivel social y psicológico, la teoría general de la tensión (GST, por sus siglas en inglés) proporciona una guía de sus pruebas entre las poblaciones adolescentes, pero lo que rara vez se ha analizado es la respuesta de diferentes tipos de delincuentes y de poblaciones diversas. Este estudio es aún más valioso si mencionamos que hasta el comienzo de nuestra investigación, el GST o cualquier otra teoría criminológica no se había probado en ninguna población de la República de Macedonia del Norte. ¿Por qué usar esta prueba con una población encarcelada? Esta población ha necesidades descuidadas, condiciones de vida inhumanas, instituciones penitenciarias superpobladas, un alto nivel de reincidencia, y un uso deficiente de medidas alternativas. La experiencia de las mujeres encarceladas es generalmente menos conocida en comparación con la de los hombres encarcelados; y también su bajo nivel de participación en el número total de delitos en el país; y la falta de investigación criminológica de la criminalidad femenina en general. Los datos recopilados se centraron sobre la influencia de la tensión y de las emociones negativas en el nivel de criminalidad. Los resultados deberían respondernos si la tensión conduce a emociones negativas; entonces la tensión influye en la criminalidad femenina y su nivel. ¿Y las emociones negativas se intermedian entre la tensión y el nivel de criminalidad?

Abstrait

Abstrait

Quel est le but de notre étude? Écrit sur un plan social et psychologique, la théorie générale du stress (GST) fournit un guide pour ses tests auprès des populations adolescentes, mais ce qui a rarement été analysé, c’est la réponse de différents types. des criminels et des populations diverses. Cette étude est encore plus précieuse si nous mentionnons que jusqu’au début de notre enquête, la Théorie générale du stress (GST ou toute autre théorie criminologique n’avait été testée dans aucune population de la République de Macédoine du Nord. Pourquoi utiliser ce test avec une population incarcérée? Cette population a des besoins négligé, des conditions de vie inhumaines, des établissements pénitentiaires surpeuplés, un niveau élevé de récidive et une mauvaise utilisation des mesures alternatives. L’expérience des femmes emprisonnées est généralement moins connue que celle des hommes emprisonnés; et aussi son faible niveau de participation au nombre total de délits dans le pays; et le manque d’enquêtes criminologiques sur la criminalité féminine en général. Les données recueillies se sont concentrées sur l’influence de la tension et des émotions négatives sur le niveau de la criminalité. Les résultats devraient nous répondre si la tension conduit à des émotions négatives; puis la tension influence la criminalité féminine et son niveau. Et les émotions négatives sont-elles médiatisées entre la tension et le niveau de criminalité?

Type
Article
Copyright
© 2020 International Society of Criminology

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