topic 3 Flashcards
2 types of social control
internal
external
what is internal social control
controls over our behaviour that come from within ourselves
example of internal social control
personality, values
3 areas of internal social control
-internalised social rules and morality
-rational ideology
-tradition
internalisation of social rules and morality (core)
Humans learn how it is acceptable to behave through the process of socialisation
We internalise the rules that society sets out (make them internal), and this becomes our own internal rule book/moral code
In this way, societies rules become our own personal rules and moral code
As a result, by following our personal rules, we automatically follow those of society
what is primary socialisation
Primary socialisation is the process of learning what behaviour is acceptable in society, through social interactions with our families
what is secondary socialisation
secondary socialisation is the process of learning wider values, norms, customs and expectations of society from institutions outside of our families.
examples of secondary socialisation
These would include:
Peer groups and subcultures
Media
Religion
Education
The Criminal Justice System
rational decision making definition (core)
Rational decision making is the process of doing something which makes logical sense, which has considered different variables and comes to conclusions based on evidence
rational ideology (expanded)
rational choice theory
This suggests that humans are rational beings, who weigh up the cost and reward of an action, when deciding how to behave.
According to this theory, criminals choose to behave criminally – they think the benefits of committing a crime outweigh the potential cost of getting caught (even if they are not)
Therefore, most people do not commit crime as the costs outweigh the benefits
The inadequately socialised, fail to develop rational thinking processes, and are therefore more predisposed to deviance and crime
tradition (core)
We come to accept the norms, values and traditions of the culture as part of our identity. We behave a certain way as a result of the traditions they have been raised with
tradition (expanded)
While all internal forms of social control are internalised from people and institutions around us, specific traditions are the clear, overt signposts in our lives that reaffirm the morals and values we conform to (as opposed to more subliminal things we are taught without even noticing)
These normally come from very visible things such as religion or nationality
tradition example
Christmas acts as a reminder that people should care for one another and treat people well (the exact opposite of law-breaking and deviant behaviour)
external social control definition
come from outside yourself from other people in society
2 areas of external social control
coercion
fear of punishment
coercion (core)
Coercive power means the use, or threat of force or control over someone’s life, from an external influence in order to make someone do, or stop doing
Force may involve physical or psychological violence, or other forms of pressure through negative sanctions
Coercive powers are commonly used by agencies of the criminal justice system/social control, as they are granted permissions/powers by legislation which allows them to do their jobs (punish actual offenders, deter potential offenders)
fear of punishment (core)
An action taken in order to make people obey a law or rule, or a punishment given when they do not obey. These can be formal or informal
deterrence definition
Deterrence is the the action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences. We have two types:
General deterrence - when the overall public are deterred from offending due to the knowledge that those who do, are punished
Individual deterrence - when an individual who has offended is deterred from reoffending
control theory
Travis Hirschi argued that people conform because they are controlled by their bonds to society, which keep them from deviating. Hirschi stated the following:
“Delinquent acts occur when an individual’s bond to society is weak or broken”
control theory (core)
Attachment - The more attached we are to people in society (especially parents/teachers), the more we care about their opinion. Therefore, we obey the law to please them, and respect their norms.
Commitment - The more committed we are to conventional goals (such as getting an education and a good job), the more we risk if we were to get involved in crime, so we are more likely to want to conform.
For example, if you know you can’t get your dream job if you have a criminal record, you are likely to be motivated to obey the law as you don’t want to risk losing out
Involvement - The more involved with conventional, law-abiding activities (e.g. studying/sport), the less time and energy we will have to get involved in crime.
Think about the concept of youth clubs; getting kids off the street and busy so they don’t get caught up in crime
Beliefs - If we have been socialised to believe that it is right to obey the law, we are less likely to break it
control theory (expanded knowledge)
Many control theorists emphasise the importance of parents in creating bonds to prevent offending
Gottfredson and Hirschi argue that low self-control is a major cause of criminal behaviour, and this is a result of poor socialisation and inconsistent or absent discipline from parents
Riley and Shaw found that lack of parental supervision was an important factor in delinquency. They said parents should:
Involve themselves in teenagers lives and spend time with them
Take an interest in what they do at school and how they spend time with friends
Show strong disapproval of all criminal behaviour, and explain the consequences of offending
