CRIM1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Five Techniques, Response Bias, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
L8: Control Theories
Early Control Theories
Reckless Containment Theory
Techniques of Neutralisation
Social Bonds Theory
Self Control Theory
Informal Social Control Theory
Control theories —> consensus vs conflict
Summary of Control Theories
Most theories in criminology argue that most people will obey the law but forces (environment, peers, etc)
will drive people to commit crime.
Control theories argue the opposite: Control theory assumes people are born not to be good. Most people
will commit crime unless there are forces to restrain criminal activity.
In other words, control theories assume the natural tendency is to disobey laws/rules.
Therefore, crime is the failure of control.
Emphasis is on the “controlling forces” that hinder engagement in crime. (what kind of control reduces
crime?)
Guiding question is “why do people conform?” rather than “why do people break the law?”
Individuals commit crime because of weaknesses associated with restraint.
Sources of Control: Internal, external, formal, informal
EARLY CONTROL THEORIES: REISS
Studied juvenile offenders to see if control factors could predict revocation of probation.
Findings:
Personal Controls:
Revocation of probation was more likely when the juvenile was diagnosed as having weak
ego or superego controls
Social Controls:
Revocation of probation was more likely when juveniles did not regularly attend school.
Widely criticized but provided a foundation for later work
EARLY CONTROL THEORIES: TOBY
Stakes in conformity
Everyone is tempted to break the law, but the risks differ for each person.
High stakes (more to lose): less likely to engage in crime
Low stakes: more likely to engage in crime
EARLY CONTROL THEORIES: NYE
Family as the primary source of social control
Defined social control:
1. Direct controls: punishment and restrictions
2. Internal controls: our conscience
3. Indirect controls: identification with parents and other noncriminal persons
Availability of legitimate means to satisfy needs.
Surveyed boys and girls in high school to test the theory
Findings:
find more resources at oneclass.com
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‘Most Delinquent’ group
Given complete freedom or none at all.
‘Least Delinquent’ group
Reported strong relationships with parents
Tested 313 relationships with parents
139 supported the theory
167 were non significant
Only 7 were inconsistent
Critiques of Nye’s control study:
Sample issues:
- Lack of ethnic diversity
- Focused on youth living in rural areas
- Administered in high schools (who is missing?)
Measures captured only minor deviance
Response bias
Reckless Containment Theory
Inner containmnet (self-control): Individual factors, regardless of the external circumstances (e.g.
development of super ego, sense of direction, ability to find legitimate fulfilment, commitment to laws and
values
Inner Containment:
Self-Concept
Goal Orientation
Frustration Tolerance
Norm Retention
Argued that inner containment could control behaviour even when the external environment changed.
Limitations:
Difficult to test- measurable concepts are vague
Limited empirical support
May not generalize to females
Outer containment (social control): Reinforcement by social groups, existence of supportive relationships
(e.g. reasonable expectations, sense of belonging and identity, supportive relationships, adequate discipline)
David Matza: Deliquency and Drift
Examined the conditions that would lead to delinquency, contrary to view that delinquents different from
non-delinquents.
Since even delinquents conform most of the time…
Key question - how are people freed up to engage in deviance?
What breaks down?
Matza on Drift:
Do not reject conventional moral values, but “neutralise” them… so that they can commit delinquent acts.
Techniques of neutralization allow for episodic relief from moral constraints
Enables young people to drift back and forth between delinquent and conventional behaviour without having
to deal with guilt and shame.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Most theories in criminology argue that most people will obey the law but forces (environment, peers, etc) will drive people to commit crime. Control theories argue the opposite: control theory assumes people are born not to be good. Most people will commit crime unless there are forces to restrain criminal activity. In other words, control theories assume the natural tendency is to disobey laws/rules. Emphasis is on the controlling forces that hinder engagement in crime. (what kind of control reduces crime?) Guiding question is why do people conform? rather than why do people break the law? . Individuals commit crime because of weaknesses associated with restraint. Studied juvenile offenders to see if control factors could predict revocation of probation. Revocation of probation was more likely when the juvenile was diagnosed as having weak ego or superego controls. Revocation of probation was more likely when juveniles did not regularly attend school. Widely criticized but provided a foundation for later work.
