CRIM 300W Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Zero-Sum Game, Social Class, Informal Social Control

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRIM 300W
• Professor: Alexandra Lysova

Document Summary

Control theories take deviant motivation for granted + as non-problematic. Attempt to explain the reasons why people do not commit crimes. Criminal conduct must be due to variations in controls/restraints that people have over their deviant impulses (cid:862)wh(cid:455) do(cid:374)"t (cid:449)e (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)it (cid:272)(cid:396)i(cid:373)e/do it? (cid:863) Control theories = theories of compliance/crime inhibition rather than theories of criminal motivation. Human appetites for things are socially driven and know no biological limit. The power of reflection is the distinctly human characteristics of imagining more of something. Self-regulation is impossible because of the power of reflection. The satisfaction of human desires must be limited and controlled by a force external to the individual (cid:862)we a(cid:396)e (cid:373)o(cid:396)al (cid:271)ei(cid:374)gs o(cid:374)l(cid:455) to the e(cid:454)te(cid:374)t that (cid:449)e a(cid:396)e so(cid:272)ial (cid:271)ei(cid:374)gs(cid:863) Morality (achieved through a union/bond with society) provides restrain on potentially insatiable needs. Control over human appetite is achieved when the individual is connected to a social group.