Social Control Theories
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Social Control Theory
answer
focuses on techniques and strategies that regulate human behavior and lead to conformity, or obedience to society's rules
question
How did Social Control Theory Emerge?
answer
in the early 1900's by E.A. Ross, one of the founders of American sociology
question
Macrosociological Studies
answer
-Focus on FORMAL SYSTEMS - The legal system, laws, and particularly law enforcement - Powerful groups in society - Social and economic directives of governmental or private groups
question
Microsociological Studies
answer
- Focus on INFORMAL SYSTEMS - Data usually collected by self-report methods
question
Social Bond Theory
answer
Travis Hirschi, 4 key bonds that keep people conforming the law (Attachment, Commitment, Involvement, Belief)
question
Attachment Theory
answer
family and friends, especially parents, having a close relationship with family prevents people from committing crime
question
Commitment Theory
answer
ones commitment to groups, the more involved you are in something the more you have to lose
question
Involvement Theory
answer
Involvement in conventional activities i.e sports, clubs, groups that are non-criminal... because it reduces the time you have available to involve yourself in crime.
question
\"Idle hands are the devils workshop\"
answer
idea that if you are not busy or doing anything than you are more likely to get involved with bad stuff/ crimes.
question
Belief
answer
NOT RELIGIOUS BELIEF. Belief that the law is valid and that it should be applied. If you believe that then you are less likely to involve yourself in crime because it goes against what you believe.
question
Containment Theory
answer
Walter Reckless, there are external and internal factors that can exert control
question
External Factors
answer
-responsibilities and limits - opportunity to achieve conventional status - identification with a group
question
Internal Factors
answer
- Good self concept - Good conscience
question
Drift
answer
Matza and Sykes, Youth can \"drift\" into delinquency by using techniques of neutralization
question
There is ONE explanation of crime
answer
self-control, people with low self-control will engage in crime along with a wide range of impulsive action
question
Ways to prevent deviant behavior
answer
supervise child, recognize deviant behavior, punish it when it occurs
question
Specialization
answer
tendency to commit only one crime type (ex: someone who is specialized in \"theft\" only is a theft)
question
Versatile
answer
doing bad things
question
Age Crime Curve
answer
what differs is the relative ranking for each person
question
Desistance
answer
the process of stopping to commit crime
question
Persistence
answer
people who continue to commit crime
question
3 elements of social
answer
poverty, racial/ethnic heterogeneity, and high rates of mobility contribute to social disorganization (Ruth Kornhauser) this is all concentrated in zone two which is why zone two has the highest rate of crime
question
Coper Curve
answer
there's a 15-minute lag where crime continues 15 minutes after a cop drives away while performing random preventative control
question
Emile Durkheim
answer
father of sociological criminology; influenced and inspired by the French revolution and the industrial revolution; functionalism, social disorganization, strain/anomie, and control theories were his legacy functionalism: crime is useful and has a place in society
question
Cesare Beccaria
answer
father of classical theory; wrote An Essay on Crimes and Punishments; incorporation of social contract; influenced by Darwin's Origin; deterrence theory
question
Cesare Lombroso
answer
Early biological theory; claimed that you could determine whether a person was criminal depending on the shape of their skull and the their facial make up; believed people were born criminal and this was a result of not evolving
question
Travis Hirschi
answer
social control (neo-classical) and low self-control theories; bonds keep us from committing crime even though we are predisposed to doing so; parents and family are the locus of control; low self-control leads to criminality
question
Jackson Toby (1957)
answer
-Social Disorganization across different communities
question
Stake in Conformity
answer
-some people have a greater investment in social control than others, it is based on peers, communities, organizations, etc. -If the stakes in conformity is low, the chance of one engaging in crime is high
question
Nye (1958)
answer
indirect vs. direct control
question
Indirect Control
answer
by which a youth refrains from delinquency through the conscience or superego.
question
Direct Control
answer
by which punishment is threatened or applied for wrongful behavior, and compliance is rewarded by parents, family, and authority figures.
question
Gottfredson and Hirschi's General Theory of Crime
answer
-A model of personal and social control designed to explain an individual's propensity to commit crime. -Assumes that offenders have little control over their own behavior and desires
question
Sampson and Laub's theory of turning points and desistance
answer
-childhood to adolescence: family, school, and peer attachments were most strongly associated with delinquency - young adulthood to middle adulthood: attachment to work (job stability) and family (marriage) appear most strongly related to crime causation
