Social Control Theory 1

Social Control Theory

Michelle A. Crawford

FPSY-6135-4

Criminal Behavior

July 20, 2014

Dr. Venessa Fegley-Villalba

 Social Control Theory 2

In 1969, Travis Hirschi introduced a theory to criminology known as the

Social Bond Theory, more recently known as the Social Control Theory (Pratt, Gau

and Franklin, 2011). Hirschi did not buy into earlier theories such as the Strain

Theory or Differential Association Theory, both which maintained the belief that

criminal behavior was either learned or caused by occurrences or conditions in ones

environment (Pratt, Gau and Franklin, 2011). According to Bartol & Bartol, Social

Control Theory, “contends that crime and delinquency occur when an individual’s ties

to the conventional order or normative standards are weak or largely nonexistent”

(2011, p. 5). This theory contends that all people, from the time we are born, are

basically bad apples that must be controlled by laws, rules and regulations in order to

keep society in check. It goes on to maintain that those who have a weak bond to

societal controls end up participating in deviant or criminal behavior.

According to Hirschi, there are four types of basic bonds that people develop

which determine whether or not they will become involved in criminal activity (Pratt,

Gau and Franklin, 2011). These four bonds include Attachment, Commitment,

Involvement and Belief. The Attachment Bond refers to, “the level of psychological

affection one has for prosocial others and institutions” (Pratt, Gau and Franklin, 2011,

p. 58). The Commitment Bond cites the, “importance of the social relationships that

people value, which they would not want to risk jeopardizing by committing criminal

or deviant acts” (Pratt, Gau and Franklin, 2011, p. 58). The Involvement Bond relates

to “the opportunity costs associated with how people spend their time…idle hands are

the devil’s workshop” (Pratt, Gau and Franklin, 2011, p. 58). Lastly, the Belief Bond

refers to “the degree to which one adheres to the values associated with behaviors that
 Social Control Theory 3

conform to the law” (Pratt, Gau and Franklin, 2011, p. 59). This final belief asserts

that the more important a person’s values are in relation to a certain crime (such as

using illegal drugs), the less likely they are to commit said crime (Pratt, Gau and

Franklin, 2011).

Social Control Theory is definitely a contributing factor in explaining society’s

involvement and engagement in criminal activity, although it definitely is not the sole

explanation. Overall, Hirschi’s Social Control Theory asserts that humans are not

born with a conscience but rather that it is developed over time through interaction

with important people and places in our lives. We are taught morals and values by

our parents, churches and schools. We are taught laws and social norms by our

parents, schools, courts and police. Our churches and families instill in us religious

beliefs that are also a huge influence on our behavior and decisions. Parents enroll

their children in extracurricular activities not only to teach them discipline and how to

interact with their peers, but also in an effort to fill some of their free time so they do

not spend it getting into trouble. It is children who do not have these influences in

their lives that ultimately end up committing deviant or criminal acts according to the

Social Control Theory. While I also believe that there are biological issues that

highly contribute to whether or not a person becomes a criminal, I would ascertain

that approximately fifty percent (50%) of the engagement in criminal behavior can be

explained by the Social Control Theory.

There are a multitude of actions that can be related to the prevention of crime;

however, the vast majority of them have all been established by society. In our early
 Social Control Theory 4

years, our participation in deviant behavior is primarily prevented by our parents as

they establish rules and guidelines of the home which must be followed. In addition

to our parents, many of us are prevented from misbehaving by values and morals that

we are taught at church or other religious institutions. Lastly, in our youth and

throughout adolescence, we are taught rules, laws and regulations at school and

perhaps through minor encounters with the police. As adults, the vast majority of us

have at least had one traffic ticket or citation and others have had minor or major

encounters with the law that resulted in court hearings and jail. All of these

experiences, big or small, taught us that we should refrain from certain behavior (at

least while in the presence of police or law enforcement) lest we want to suffer the

legal consequences, which could further cause us complications in our employment

and social lives. All of these aforementioned events are examples of social ways of

preventing us from committing crimes and participating in what society deems as

deviant behavior. This being said, I would argue that the Social Control Theory

explains about ninety percent (90%) of the prevention of criminal behavior.

After careful review and analysis of the Social Control Theory, I would definitely

conclude that it is highly useful in understanding and explaining the nature of

criminal behavior. While I would also implore one to review the impact of biological

and environmental factors in relation to the commission of crime, I have concluded

that the Social Control Theory itself can explain the vast majority of reasons that

people do and especially, do not, commit crimes. Although we may be born with

biological or psychological issues that predispose us to committing criminal acts, as

far as morals, ethics and values are concerned, we are all born with an equally clean
 Social Control Theory 5

slate. It is our parents, teachers, clergy men and women, friends, relatives and law

enforcement that instill in us the morals, ethics and values which we develop

throughout our early youth and adolescence. It is in the absence of these morals,

ethics and values that many people turn from law-abiding citizens into deviant

criminals. It is the pressure of society and fear of its abhorrent reprisals that keep the

vast majority of people from breaking the law and participating in behavior that

society deems as inappropriate.

Bibliography
 Social Control Theory 6

Bartol, C., & Bartol, A. (2011). Criminal behavior (custom ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Pearson Education/Prentice Hall.

Pratt, T., Gau, J. and Franklin, T. (2011). Key ideas in criminology and criminal justice.

1st ed. Los Angeles: SAGE.