AC 2.1

Question 1

What is social control?

Answer 1

Persuading or compelling people to conform to society’s norms, laws and expectations. There are two main forms: internal and external forms of social control.

Question 2

What is meant by internal forms of social control?

Answer 2

Internal social control involves regulating out own behavior in accordance with accepted forms of self control

Question 3

Give examples of internal social control

Answer 3

• Internalization of social rules and morality: knowing what is right and wrong based upon social values e. queue jumping
• Tradition and culture: the culture to which we belong to becomes part of us through socialization, we come to accept its values, norms and traditions as part of our identity e.g some religions ban the consumption of alcohol
• Moral conscience or superego: Freud believed that we conform to social expectations and obey rules because our superego tells us to do so
• Rational ideology: an individuals conscience and feelings of guilt may be a result of upbringing

Question 4

What is meant my external forms of social control?

Answer 4

Influences that persuade or compel a person to conform with rules so that they do not commit crime

Question 5

What are agencies of social control?

Answer 5

Organizations or institutions that impose rules upon us in order to make us behave in a certain way e.g family, peer group and the education system in the criminal justice system there are the police, the CPS, judges and magistrates and the prison service.

Question 6

How may the police be perceived as an external form of social control?

Answer 6

• The threat of police action such as their powers of stop, search and arrest
• Many people have the fear of punishment as a result of being arrested by the police and the consequences such as loosing a job
• The shame and embarrassment that come with being arrested and questioned by the police
• The police may be seen to be using their power as coercion to achieve a desired result

Question 7

How may the court system be perceived as an external form of social control?

Answer 7

• The court system determines the decision in a criminal case (either a judge or magistrates)
• The process of attending court may act as a deterrent due to the consequences of punishment and also the shame and embarrassment of attending court
• There is an individual deterrent, with the sentence for an individual, and a general deterrent to prevent others from breaking the law and receiving similar punishment
• The fear of punishment and consequences such as loss of liberty or financial punishment means that courts are an external form of social control

Question 8

How does a probation order act as a form of social control?

Answer 8

• Probation orders also act as a deterrent or threat to stop people from further offending.
• Probation is an external form of social control that acts as a pressure to try and persuade or compel members of society to conform to the rules.
• Probation uses coercion to achieve a desired result. A threat of future punishment for the law breaking.

Question 9

How do internal forms of social control contribute to individuals abiding by the law

Answer 9

• values and norms can influence rational ideology
• tradition is an incentive to some individuals
• family and the social milieu in which individuals are socialized may have an impact
• religious teaching can have a strong influence on individuals’ outlooks
• conscience and a personal sense of morality may encourage individuals to abide by the law
• theories: Freud, Hirschi and/or Reckless