Illegitimate opportunity theory holds that individuals commit crimes when the chances of being caught are low but from readily available illegitimate opportunities. The theory was first formalized by

Richard Cloward Richard Andrew Cloward (December 25, 1926 – August 20, 2001) was an American sociologist and activist. He influenced the Strain theory of criminal behavior and the concept of anomie, and was a primary motivator for the passage of the Na ...

and Lloyd Ohlin in 1960.Gangs and gang activity in a non-metropolitan community: The perceptions of students, teachers, and police officers
Social Behavior and Personality, 2001 by Swetnam, Josh; Pope, Jacqueline It is closely related to strain theory (developed by Merton, an influential figure in functionalism and the subcultural theories surrounding it).

References

Criminology {{crime-stub