Question

Tommy is 12 years old. he lives with his grandmother because his father is incarcerated and his mother passed away from a drug overdose. tommy is starting to defy his grandmother's orders. he is skipping school and hanging out with an older group of teenagers in his neighborhood.​ when tommy turned 16 he dropped out of school. he attempted to find a job but employers would not hire him because he did not have a high school diploma. according to the __________ theory, tommy's legitimate opportunities are limited and thus it only makes sense that he join a gang and pursue a criminal career.​ ​social ecology

Answer 1

I believe the correct answer is differential opportunity theory.
According to this theory, our social and economic environment is crucial when determining whether a person is going to have success by using either legitimate or illegitimate means. Based on Tommy's background and the actions of his parents, and those of his own, he doesn't have many legal job opportunities he can pursue.