They fail to provide a full explanation and they seem especially inadequate for explaining crime - it is unable to account for crime and deviance within any subcultural group. Frustration caused by a person's position in the social structure, especially the stratification system. Strain theory portray a deviant as a person torn between guilt and desire, with desire gaining the upper hand. Can't explain why the majority of the poor do not commit any crime. Most of the deviant behavior committed by persons under structural strain cannot alleviate their frustrations.
Most crime pays very little.
Nor does it explain why wealthy people shoplift or why bankers embezzle. These neighborhoods also tend to be mixed-used neighborhoods, which increase the opportunities for crime and delinquency. Life is a vast cafeteria of temptation. By themselves, deviant acts tend to be attractive, providing rewards to those who engage in them. Norms arise to prohibit various kinds of behavior because without these norms such behavior would be frequent.