CRI 205 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Social Control, Self-Control, Michael R. Gottfredson
Document Summary
The commission of acts in violation of the law the absence of those acts in violation of the law. We conform because social controls prevent us from committing crimes. Whenever these controls break down or weaken, deviance is likely to result. Argues that people are motivated to conform by social controls but need no special motivation to violate the law. That comes naturally in the absence of controls. There is no individual variation in motivations to commit crime; the impetus toward crime is uniform or evenly distributed across society. Because of this uniform motivation to crime, we will all push up against the rules of society and break through them unless we are controlled. Assume everyone would violate the law if they could get away with it. Set out to explain why we do not commit crime. Albert j. reiss"s and f. ivan nye"s theories.
