Explanation
Institutional Anomie Theory (IAT) was developed by Steven Messner and Richard Rosenfeld as an extension of Durkheim’s concept of anomie and Merton’s strain theory.
The theory argues that crime becomes more likely when economic institutions and market-oriented values dominate other areas of social life such as family, education, or politics. In societies strongly focused on competition, achievement, and individual success, social norms and collective obligations may weaken.
According to IAT, this institutional imbalance produces:
- weakened social control,
- increased pressure for success,
- individualism and competition,
- and higher levels of crime and deviance.
The theory has often been applied to explain comparatively high crime rates in highly market-oriented societies such as the United States.
Theoretical Reference
Institutional Anomie Theory combines Durkheim’s concept of anomie with Merton’s strain theory and macro-sociological analyses of social institutions and inequality.