The Social Control Theory, by Travis Hirschi
Travis Hirschi
Travis Warner Hirschi was an American sociologist and an emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Arizona. He helped to develop the modern version of the social control theory of crime and later the self-control theory of crime.
Full Answer
What is Hirschi control theory?
Travis Hirschi’s social control theory of juvenile delinquency stated that delinquent behavior was caused by a lack of social attachments. Later, he modified his ideas and proposed the self-control theory of crime, which suggested that crimes were committed due to criminal opportunity and lack of self-control and that the degree of parenting a child received was the determining factor in whether or not he would commit crimes.
What is an example of social control theory?
There are numerous examples of the social control theory. The perspective of the social control theory can be seen in the various aspects of life such as political, religious, social, and cultural. The increase in the number of crimes by the juvenile can also be explained through the social control theory.
What is the definition of social control theory?
Social control theory proposes that people's relationships, commitments, values, norms, and beliefs encourage them not to break the law. Thus, if moral codes are internalized and individuals are tied into and have a stake in their wider community, they will voluntarily limit their propensity to commit deviant acts.
What is the control theory in sociology?
Control theory in sociology is the idea that two control systems—inner controls and outer controls—work against our tendencies to deviate. Control theory can either be classified as centralized or decentralized or neither. Decentralized control is considered market control. Centralized control is considered bureaucratic control.
What is the significance of Hirschi's Causes of Delinquency?
In Causes of Delinquency (1969)—a groundbreaking work that had a profound influence on criminology during the next three decades—Hirschi argued that delinquency can be explained by the absence of social bonds.
Who is Travis Hirschi?
Travis Hirschi, (born April 15, 1935, Rockville, Utah, U.S.—died January 2, 2017, Tucson, Arizona), American criminologist known for his social-control perspective on juvenile delinquency and his self-control perspective on crime. Hirschi received a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley (1968), ...
What is the theory of crime?
Gottfredson resulted in A General Theory of Crime(1990), which defined crime as “acts of force or fraud undertaken in pursuit of self-interest.” Arguing that all crime can be explained as a combination of criminal opportunity and low self-control, Gottfredson and Hirschi hypothesized that a child’s level of self-control, which is heavily influenced by child-rearing practices, stabilizes by the time he reaches the age of eight. Thus, they identified parenting as the most decisive factor in determining the likelihood that a person will commit crimes. Children reared in settings of neglect or abuse, for example, will be more likely to commit criminal acts, while children raised in supervised homes, where punishment is a consequence of bad behaviour, will be more likely to withstand temptations toward criminal conduct. In addition to criminal and delinquent acts, low self-control is manifestedin tendencies to be “impulsive, insensitive, physical, risk-oriented, shortsighted, and nonverbal.” Although Hirschi’s theories were criticized for being, among other things, tautological, paternalistic, and definitionally flawed, they were widely popular among American criminologists.
What awards did Hirschi receive?
Hirschi received a number of awards for his work, including the C. Wright Mills Award from the Society for the Study of Social Problems and the Edwin H. Sutherland Award from the American Society of Criminology. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now.
What is juvenile delinquency?
delinquency, criminal behaviour, especially that carried out by a juvenile. Depending on the nation of origin, a juvenile becomes an adult anywhere between the ages of 15 to 18, although the age is sometimes lowered for murder and other serious crimes. Delinquency implies conduct that does not conform to the…
What are the most likely ways to prevent delinquency?
According to Hirschi, social attachments (e.g., to parents, teachers, and peers), involvement in conventional activities, acceptance of social norms (such as the norm that criminal acts should be avoided), and recognition of the moral validity of law are most likely to prevent delinquency.
Who was Hirschi's collaborator?
Hirschi’s collaboration with the American criminologist Michael R. Gottfredson resulted in A General Theory of Crime (1990), which defined crime as “acts of force or fraud undertaken in pursuit of self-interest.”.
What is the impact of Travis Hirschi's Causes of Delinquency?
The publication of Travis Hirschi's Causes of Delinquency in 1969 was a watershed moment in criminology . There are many reasons for the work's lasting influence. Hirschi carefully examined the underlying assumptions of extant theories of crime in light of what was known about the individual-level correlates of offending. He then developed critical tests of hypotheses derived from social control theory and competing perspectives and empirically assessed them using original self-report delinquency data. Many of his key findings, such as the negative correlation between attachment to parents and delinquency, are now established facts that any explanation of crime must consider. Causes of Delinquency is still cited hundreds of times per year, and it continues to spark new research and theoretical development in the field. Perhaps the most lasting legacy is the volume of criticism it has attracted and fended off, leading to its enduring contribution to the study of crime and delinquency.
How many times is the cause of delinquency cited?
Causes of Delinquency is still cited hundreds of times per year, and it continues to spark new research and theoretical development in the field. Perhaps the most lasting legacy is the volume of criticism it has attracted and fended off, leading to its enduring contribution to the study of crime and delinquency.
What is Hirschi's theory of social bonds?
Theory. Hirschi’s social bonds theory is based on the basic assumption that humans naturally tend towards delinquency. The interesting question for him is what prevents people from deviating from norms.
What is Hirschi's theory of conformity?
The interesting question for him is what prevents people from violating norms. According to Hirschi, conformity is generated by social control.
What is involvement Hirschi?
By involvement Hirschi means that someone who is intensively involved in conventional activities has less time and opportunity to engage in deviant behavior. Structured, socially accepted activities such as school, work or raising children also strengthen the self-discipline needed to resist the impulses of deviant behaviour.
What is the fourth factor in social bonding?
Hirschi sees belief as the fourth factor in social bonding. This refers to the belief in and validity of the values and norms of the mainstream society. The more these values and norms have been internalized, the more difficult it becomes to violate them. When the meaning of norms is questioned, the intrinsic motivation to obey them also decreases.
What is attachment in psychology?
Attachment. Attachment describes the strength of the bonds and relationships that exist with an individual’s social environment. The relationship with parents is particularly important, but other institutions and actors such as school or friends also play a role.
What are the four forms of social control?
Hirschi distinguishes four different forms of social bonds and their influence on social control: attachment, commitment, involvement and belief.
Is there a connection between belief and conforming behaviour?
There tends to be a connection between belief and conforming behaviour. However, deviance in this case could be better explained by learning theories: Does a person deviate because his belief in conventional values is weak, or does he deviate because he has learned new values? (see also: Subculture Theory according to Cohen)
Why are children drawn into gangs?
Research commissioned by NASUWT, a teachers’ union, based on reviewing existing literature and in depth studies of two schools in Birmingham and London found that Family breakdown and a lack of father figures could be to blame for pupils joining gangs, Children as young as nine are being drawn into organised crime for protection and to gain a “sense of belonging” because of the lack of positive role models at home, it is claimed. Others are being effectively “born into” gangs as membership is common among older brothers and even parents in some areas. The problem is increasingly threatening some inner-city schools, with teachers claiming that the influence of gang culture has soared over the past three years.
Which crime is more likely to be committed by people with lots of social connections?
Some crimes are more likely to be committed by people with lots of social connections – e.g. Corporate Crime
What is the relationship between attachment and crime?
Travis Hirschi argued that criminal activity occurs when an individual’s attachment to society is weakened. This attachment depends on the strength of social bonds that hold people to society. According to Hirschi there are four social bonds that bind us together – Attachment; Commitment; Involvement and Belief.
How many pages are in the Crime and Deviance revision notes?
If you like this sort of thing, then you might like my Crime and Deviance Revision Notes – 31 pages of revision notes covering the following topics:
What is Martin Glyn's point of view on youth offending?
Martin Glyn has pointed out that many young offenders suffer from what he calls ‘parent deficit’. He argues that this is the single most important factor in explaining youth offending. He argues that children need both discipline and love, two things that are often both absent with absent parents.
What is left-realism and right-realist criminology?
Left- Realist and Right-Realist Criminology (including situational, environmental and community crime prevention) Sociological Perspectives on controlling crime – the role of the community and policing in preventing crime.
What are the three problems that are correlated with higher crime rates?
These are: Absentee parents; Truancy; Unemployment
Theory
- The social bond theory was developed by Travis Hirschi in 1969 to address social problems among delinquents and provide practical solutions on how these social problems could be solved. The theory which is one way or another similar to the social control theory originated from the Functionalist theories of criminology by mostly focusing on Ivan Nye...
Paradigms of The Theory
- Hirschi’s social bond theory was built around two paradigms which included Sutherland’s differential theory which sought to explain the cultural deviance of social delinquents and Merton’s strain theory which focused on addressing the social strain that was brought about by a lack of social bonds. Hirschi’s theory focused on these two perspectives by explaining social de…
Key Concepts
- The main assumption of the social bond theory is that people engage in criminal or deviant behavior when the social bonds between the individual and the society are broken or weak. The theory assumes that people will deviate unless they are socially constrained by the bonds that exist within a society (Lilly et al 114). Hirschi identified four important elements or concepts tha…
Assessment
- Since Hirschi introduced the social bonds theory in his 1969 publication Causes of Delinquency, the theory has been one of the most tested in the field of criminology. The results of these tests have demonstrated that the theory has logical consistency as there is evidence which demonstrates that the presence of social bonds is inversely related to juvenile delinquency and …
Personal Recommendations
- As with all other theoretical concepts, more research needs to be conducted on the social bonds theory to ensure it has a more general application in addressing social problems instead of confining itself to solving juvenile delinquent behavior.
Work Cited
- Lilly, Robert J., Richard A. Ball and Francis T. Cullen. Criminological theory: context and consequences. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 2011.