Strain Theory: Young Black And Latino Men

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“How was it possible that all the young men whom I followed believed wholeheartedly that most adults in the community worked to ubiquitously punish them?” (Rios 2011) This quote above from The Punished is used to express institutional racism, prejudice, as well as school to prison pipeline. It is closely related to the textbook term the strain theory. Strain theory is a crime caused by society telling children what to seek without providing them with the means to do so. (Hewitt & Regoli 1991) Rios studies several young men who often come from marginalized communities where systemic injustices, including racism and poverty are very high. In the book, Rios explains how racism is more often experienced by teens who are young black and Latino men.