Unit 4 2.1 Flashcards
What is social control
This refers to the mechanisms, strategies and institutions used by society to regulate individual and group behaviors, aiming to maintain order, enforce societal norms and values to prevent deviant human behaviour. It encourages everyone in society to conform to the law and any course of action that helps to achieve this is a form of social control. It’s an actual that aims to persuade or compel members of society to conform to the rules. It is very necessary as if there were no rules it would be very chaotic so it’s needed to keep order, peace and law. There are 2 types (internal and external.
Internal social control
-we regulate our own behaviours in accordance with the accepted norms
-This relies on individuals internal beliefs, values and understanding of the right and wrong and as individuals we internalize thoughts in our heads to decide this
-These come from within a person and are shaped by societal norms and personal morality.
- our conscience regulates are behaviors
- what we feel is accepted in forms of behavior
What does internal control relate too
It relates to frauds theory (physchoanalytical theory) where he argues conscience is formed as a result of ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO.
He claimed they all form a part of our personality
The main ways internal control occurs… rational ideology
- Rational ideology-
This is the idea or belief to achieve social control. It involves individuals making decisions based on reason and logic. We ultimately weigh up the benefits and consequences of a crime, considering the feelings of guilt, worry and anxiety we will experience. These feelings may make us avoid committing the crime (this relates to conscience) which in turn may guide them into making a law abiding choice or a solution
E.g. choosing not to steal as it understands it causes harm to others and the potential consequences to society.
E.g. Clark and Cornish 2006 suggested criminality is often a rational choice where crimes are purposive acts committed with the intention of benefiting the offender.
The main ways internal control occurs… tradition
Conforming to social norms and rules through a persons traditions and upbringing which teaches you and reinforces you to not break the law. This refers to the long established customs and practices that guide behaviour. People will conform to social expectations as it’s the way things have always been done. It may be your own traditions, customs or norms that ensure you to conform to the rules. Sometimes your religion or culture or your upbringing ensures you do not break the law. E.g. not eating red meat on Good Friday.
E.g. celebrating national holidays or family customs even if there are no laws requiring you to do so
The main ways internal control occurs… internalsaiton of social rules and morality
This is working out the right thing to do and therefore knowing what is right or wrong based on societal values. For example not eating all the biscuits but leaving some for others or not queue jumping but waiting your turn in the line. This occurs when individuals accept and internalize the norms, values and rules of society as their own. They follow them without being told because they have developed a sense of what is morally right and wrong. Following the social expectations.
E.g. feeling guilty about lying or cheating because you personally believe it is wrong not just because you fear punishment
External social control
This involves external pressures often imposed by society, law or other institutions to ensure compliance. Such as persuading or compelling people to conform to the rules. This power is exercised by people and organizations specifically empowered to enforce conformity to social norms such as police officers, judges and prison guards
What does external control relate too
It links to hirschis social bond theory in 1969 where he suggests that people are naturally inclined to commit crime but are prevented from doing so by strong social bonds and external controls. He identified 4 key elements that helps maintain law abiding behaviours.
1. Attachment
2. Commitment
3. Involvement
4. Belief
If these bonds are seen as weak, external controls such as the police, courts and probation services become necessary to regulate behaviours
The main ways external control occurs
-coercion
-fear of punishment
The main ways external control occurs… coercion
This may be the physical or non violent. Physical may take the form of bodily injury, imprisonment or death penalty in some countries but non violent consists of strikes, boycott and non cooperation. This involves forcing someone to follow the rules or behave in a certain way often through threats or actual force. This can be physical such as police action or non physical such as the threat of losing a job
E.g. a police officer arresting someone for breaking the law
The main ways external control occurs… fear of punishment
the use of punishment as a threat to stop people from offending is called deterrence. This has 2 key assumptions which are…
1. Individual deterrence
2. General deterrence
Individual deterrence is punishment that’s imposed on offenders in order to deter or prevent them from commitijng further crimes. For example a suspended prison sentence or conditional discharge where there are other more serious consequences for further offending.
General deterrence is the fear of punishment that prevents others from committing similar crimes. For example, a lengthy prison sentence or heavy financial penalty allows others to see the potential consequence and are deterred from committing the same action.
There are policies that can promote this and are known as getting tough on crime, some include…
Mandatory minimums- life sentence for murder, 7 years for a 3rd drug offence, 3 years for a 3rd burglary
3 strikes and your out, 3rd conviction for a violent crime likely to be a life sentence (USA)
What do control theories explain
they try and explain why people do not commit crimes and they support the view that people require nurturing in order to develop attachments or bonds that are in producing internal controls like conscience. According to this view crime is the result of insufficient attachment to others.
What are the control theories- Walter reckless- containment theory 1967
He developed one version of control theory known as containment and he argued that we can resist committing crimes due to our inner and outer containment .
-Inner containment-upbringing and influence from family members
-Outer containment-influence from social groups including societal laws
-a combination of internal psychological containment and external social containment prevents people from deviating from social norms.
-His focus was based on looking at reasons why people obey the law
- he suggested many were immune on resistant to these pulls towards crime due to the factors above
What are the control theories- Travis hirschi- Social bond theory 1969
It suggests people refrain from deviant behaviour due to bonds or connections they have to societyHe believes that people must form social bonds to prevent criminal behaviour , he stated there were four bonds .
Attachment- the emotional and social ties Individuals have to people and institutions like family and friends and schools. Strong attachments lead to conformity as individuals care about the opinions and reactions of those around them.
Commitment- individuals invest time, energy and resources in to certain activities like education or career. The fear of losing what they have worked for deters them from breaking laws
Involvement- busy individuals who are actively involved in conventional activities such as work sports or volunteering have less time and opportunity to engage in deviant behavior
Belief- if were social side in to believing committing crime is bad where then likely to believe this and avoid breaking the law. Many individuals are attached to cultural goals and conventions in society which may out off from committing crime due to fear of disapproval from others. Individuals want to fit in so often taken art in things involving raising money
his ideas on the control theory placed a greater emphasis on social influences-
- he suggested people are more likely to be deviant when the bond to society is weak or broken and those with good social bonds are less likely to commit crimes
- social bonds prevent criminal behaviour
Define coercion
This is the use of force to achieve a desired end
Define deterrence
The action of discouraging an action or an event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences
