-
Essay / Analysis of the views of social control theorists
Social control theorists believe that individuals obey the law because they are properly socialized and have controls over their behaviors, these controls are to both internal and external. Those with a strong moral sense should therefore, according to control theorists; be incapable of harming others through their actions and possess a strong commitment to compliance, ensuring that laws and rules of society are followed. Individuals with little commitment to society, with a weak sense of morality, would do so according to control theory; not be deterred by the threat of punishment because they have no stake in the company and therefore have little to lose. Social control arises from a view of human nature according to which humans are born free to commit crimes. Travis Hirschi argues that all humans are hedonistic in nature, but it is through controls that allow individuals to rationalize the pros and cons of delinquency and crime. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Social control theories do not explore why crime is committed; instead, they rationalize the reasons why the crime is not committed; relying on both psychological and social factors to explain crime and delinquency. Thomas Hobbes recognized it without a social contract; there could be no society and chaos would reign, it is this essence of the social contract which is the basis of social control. Émile Durkheim focused his attention on the important transitions that occurred, including industrialization, urbanization, and the decline of religion as an important force in social life; he proposed that social order arises from the shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices of a group of people. Durkheim theorized that it was through a shared culture within the community that a sense of social bonding bound members together in solidarity, referring to this group as a collective consciousness. He observed the importance of social institutions such as education, law enforcement, the state and the media in the formation of a collective consciousness in society; according to Durkheim; through interactions with these institutions and the people around us, we collectively work to maintain social order. In 1957, Jackson Toby published an article explaining why adolescents were or were not inclined to engage in delinquent behavior; arguing that people who engaged in non-delinquent activities felt like they had too much to lose; they had a stake in society and therefore a stake in conformity. The notion of individuals shaped by the bonds of community laid the foundation for the idea of internalized norms that act as a method of social control. Ivan Nye followed Toby's office; he conducted formal interviews with 780 minors, he focused on the family unit as a source of control, later specifying three types of control; direct control or the use of punishments and rewards to incentivize particular behaviors; indirect control, or attachments with individuals who adhere to social norms; and internal control, or the manipulation of conscience or feelings of guilt to encourage conformity. His findings showed that young people could be directly controlled by parental constraints that limit opportunities for delinquency, or by parental rewards and punishments. Young people can,.