Chapter 14

Social control theory

structure and culture of the American city was responsible for deviant behaviour

human beings are neither good nor evil

\-no special motivation for people to deviate

conformity rather than deviance

Durkheim and Social Integration

social bonds

Egoistic suicide -no bond, private interest

Anomic suicide- weak social organization, lacks moral guidance

Thrasher and the Gang

breaks in the structure of social organization.

Gangs arise spontaneously in areas where social controls are weak

\-not delinquent

\-natural result of the activities of weak social controls

Shaw and McKay—Ecological Analysis

social disorganization of communities

delinquents come from poorly organized communities whose institutions are not well integrated

\-explained by strain

Albert Reiss

social controls -primary groups

personal controls -internailzed

Ivan Nye

technique for measuring self-reported delinquency

Individuals are motivated to achieve certain goals as quickly as possible, controlled by laws and customs

Hirschi and the Social Bond

1. attachment STRONG

\-affective ties to other persons (primary group)

\-consider their feelings
2. commitment STRONG

\-investment

\-long term vs short term benefits
3. involvement

\-conventional activities, they will not have time
4. belief

\-conventional values, morality, and the legitimacy of the law

Self-Control

low self-control have a greater propensity to commit crimes when they have the opportunity to do so.

greater self-control, governed by restraints

\-parents determine self-control

turning points -strengthening of their social support systems

CAN MARSHMALLOWS PREDICT BEHAVIOUR?

delayed treat -better lives

can be improved

Strength of Family Ties

Children who care about what their parents think of them should be less likely to become involved in delinquency

Parental Supervision and Discipline

disciplined appropriately have lower delinquency rates

inconsistent or lax discipline -more

Strict discipline -more

Parental Role Model

strong ties to parents will act as a deterrent to delinquency regardless of the criminality of the parents

\-NOT TRUE

family violence is learned in the home

\-Direct modelling, not major cause

Schooling

The correlation between school failure and delinquency is relatively strong

\-taken over many of the occupational socialization functions

\-effect on daily life, enriching or degrading

students are replacable

Religion

Bible study -rehabilitative tool

church attendance and delinquency.

\-actually depended on importance in community

How Does Control Theory Explain Upper-World Crime?

our society has yet to clearly define upper-world morality.

\-criminals here were the same people who oversaw the institutions of legal control

Does Everyone Have the Same Motivation to Deviate?

we would all be criminal or delinquent if it were not for the restraints provided by social controls

ties to deviant peers -strongly correlated to delinquency

Is Control Theory a Conservative Theory of Crime?

emphasized people’s immediate environment

\-not considered the political and economic structures

individuals and groups are alienated from social institutions, rates of deviance will be high

THE MUSHUAU INNU OF DAVIS INLET

6 kids died in house fire

6 friends tried to freeze to death

\-response video taped

not great community, given back land

Policy Implications—The Family

broad structural solutions

key to changing the behaviour is to punish their misdeeds


1. monitor the child’s behavior
2. recognize deviant behavior when it occurs
3. punish such behavior

Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

\-nonphysical punishments

\-rewarding good conduct

\-interacting more positively as a family

PARENTING DELINQUENT YOUTH

outbursts 4x per minute

The Schools and Social Policy

some teachers are better than others

Incredible Years -praise and incentives to encourage desired behaviours, giving clear instructions, using positive discipline, and helping students with problem solving.