Social Control theory by Travis Hirsch

He focused on why people do not deviate because delinquency, crime and

other kinds of deviant behavior are exciting or fun.
And there are many ways of achieving goals.
People may engage in deviant acts if they are not restrained from doing so.
All people are inherently antisocial and only the presence of effective social
control prevents the occurrence of antisocial behavior.
 Four elements of Social Control
1. Attachment: refers to the strength of child’s bond to key persons i.e parents, teachers and
friends. Norm and violation is viewed as acts that are contrary to the wishes expected by
significant others expected by their parents or teachers. Parental attachment is considered to
be the most important because it is a parent who provide the initial socialization and have
important impact on the internalisation of norms.
2. Commitment: refer to continuity a particular line of action. People who are committed in
running a business, going to class, have invested time, money, energy and self-esteem in this
line of activity. When a person considers engaging in deviant behavior must weigh the cost
of deviant behavior in terms of the risk involved in losing the investment they have made. A
person with a business is not likely to lose his business by stealing 10$ that may result in
being sent to prison for a period of time.
 Cont
3. Involvement: focus attention to types of activities that occupy an individual’s
day. By engaging to conventional activities that person may be too busy to find
time to pursue deviant behavior. Being involved in a specific activity inhibits the
commission of juvenile delinquency i.e school related activities.
4. Belief: obligation to obey the rules of the society. There are variations in degrees
to which people obey the rules of the society. The less a person feels he should
obey the rules, the more likely to violate them. Beliefs in the rules of the society is
largely depended upon attachment to authority figures such as parents.
 Cont…
Hircshi attempted to look at some of the conditions that causes a child’s disenchantment with
school.
He found that lack of attachment to teachers at school, academic incompetence, poor school
performance levels to disliking of school and reflection of school authority leads to delinquent.
Children who are attached to friends whose activities and attitudes are congruent, It is unlikely
that boy with conformity will have delinquent friends.
Hircshi also found that youngsters who are committed to educational/occupational aspirations
had low rate of delinquency. Youngsters who engage in adult activities i.e drinking, smoking,
dating were more likely to commit delinquent acts. The more he is involved , the greater he
involves himself in delinquent acts.
 Cont
Boys who spent considerable time doing assignment were found with lower
rate of delinquency.
Those who had nothing to do , spent their time in cars at spar along N2 were
considerably more delinquent.
If there is a good relationship between a child and parents, beliefs and
attachment is confirmed children who are attached to their parents and
teachers were likely to obey the laws and respect.
 Evaluation of Social Control Theory
• He has considered the importance of the intrafamily relationship as the
one that can contribute towards shaping the youngster to conformity.
However, his theory has been criticised for its neglect of the origin of
social bonds and their varying strengths. Control theory assets that deviant
behavior is a consequence of weak bonds with the conventional order. If
social bonds are responsible for the behaviour, the obvious concern is to
understand those bonds. If, as he claims there is a variation in the strength
of bonds, it becomes essential to account for such differences.