Criminology

Introduction
Merton used functional analysis as a strategy for his researches to study the socioeconomic conditions facing the current society. He expanded on Durkheims views to explain the reasons that lead individuals to commit crime in society. Durkheim claimed that crime mostly happens in societies that are experiencing changes in their structure and organizations as a result of the lack moral norms (Merton, 1957, VBS). Merton expanded this to cover the adaptations that individuals practice in their attempts to link the imbalances between their culturally believed ways of attaining economic success and the structural possibilities of achieving them in the society.
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Overview of research on Crime
Definition of robbery
Robbery refers to the crime of taking or attempting to acquire anything of value that is not lawfully yours through force or using threats. It usually entails depriving the victim of the property completely. It is characterized by lack of consent from the victim and the offender always has the intentions of stealing. It can occur anywhere and anytime because there is neither deliberation nor predetermination. The use of force or intimidation is required to execute a robbery offence. The amount of force applied during the act differentiates it from simple theft. Robbery occurs in different types armed robbery characterized by the use of weapons, home invasion robbery which happens at residential places, piracy which is war-like and is mostly committed on sea-vessels, carjacking, highway robbery and extortion whereby victims are threatened with consequences that they will face if they fail to compromise with the demands of their offenders(Allen 2005).

Statistics on crime and the participatants
According to the statistics of FBI Uniform Crime Reports of 2006, the 447,403 crimes cases were reported to the police. This shows that high population density is directly related to higher crime cases. The US Department of Justice estimated losses from robberies to be nearly 539 million. Anybody can engage in robbery so long heshe is able to execute the required amount of force. Statistics have shown that most robbers are male aged between fifteen and thirty years (Mcgoey et al, Crime Doctor).

Reasons why individuals engage in crime
Individuals have different reasons for committing robbery acts. The motives are in one way or another related to fulfilling what they lack or is aimed at getting what they have failed to achieve by following the structures required by society. It might also be poverty related or caused by family structures. Inequality in society such as the unequal distribution of resources leads to creation of social statuses. As a result of this unequalness, individuals are faced with the desire to achieve more and more wealth so that they can achieve status recognition.

In their attempts to conform to the societal set standards, individuals follow the rules in their pursuit of achieving their goals. They go through the education system and if they are lucky to be employed, they conform to the work ethics. Others will create new mechanisms to attain their goals using alternative means as opposed to those related to the structures of the society (Messner et al).

Competition increases and individuals are forced to new adaptations. The reasons may include the need for money and property that will put them in a defined standard, the influence from their peers, lack of a regular source of income, the availability of opportunities to fulfill their dreams and in such cases they view the rewards from the crime as exceeding the risk involved. Family structure can also influence individuals into committing robbery acts. Individuals raised in families faced by poverty are more likely to device faster ways (such as robbery) of achieving resources to get them out of poverty. Most criminals usually come from families which are not united, and are usually categorized into the lower class. Drug use might also force individuals into engaging in criminal acts. The drugs usually affect their mental systems leading them to rejecting the structures that exist in society and they choose to live in solidarity.

Application of theory to the research
The reasons that lead individuals into committing robbery acts are related to Mertons adaptations (Merton, 1996). Societal structures usually force individuals to conform to the set standards and procedures of achieving their goals. This can be related to conformity that was used by Merton. Inability to achieve goals might lead individuals to resort to robbery as an alternative means. There is also a group of individuals who are bored and dissatisfied with the end result of acquiring more wealth but will still follow the standards set by the society. In an attempt to fulfill their satisfaction, robbery will be their best alternative. Merton also described a category of retreatists and rebels who see no value in the means required to achieve goals and also the achievement in it. Retreatists are categorized by those individuals who have discriminated themselves from the society and do not engage in any activity related to the society.  Majority are drug addicts. The rebellious individuals are those who try to change society using they own rules. They believe that they cant achieve their goals using the means described by the society as being legitimate. Good examples are organized gangs which commit planned robberies.

Conclusion
It can clearly be seen that Mertons strain theory is relevant in explaining why individuals commit robbery in the current society. The adaptations argued by Merton fit the different categories of ways in which individuals in society use to achieve their goals. By categorizing individuals into five groups depending on conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion. The answer to the meaning of robbery, how to identify the participants are realized. In addition and explanation to the likely reasons that encourage people to engage in robbery is sought. Finally the paper gives the answer to the main motivation behind the formation of organized gangs. (103 words).