Social control theory is the thought that individuals who are bonded with society reduce themselves to delinquency only when those bonds are weak. It also includes the idea that in order to reduce delinquency in society, society must create social expectations and punishments when those expectations are not met. In this respect, there is socialization which exerts control over human behavior. In theory, social control prevents people from committing crimes, but this is not always the case.
One of the main problems with social control theory is that it is not created by society. There is a ruling group and a subordinate group, and those with power will control those without through manipulation and force. Naturally, the self-interests of the elite have led to injustices amongst lesser groups (Muraskin, 1976).
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David Rothman proposed a reason for social control in the United States after colonialism. He believed that newly labelled Americans were uncomfortable with social, economic and political instability after the war. Americans were seeking social order, so “reformers” built a social model to aim for. These reformers were not from a mixed socioeconomic status but rather were well-educated upper- and middle-class members of society. Their conflicting goals were to keep their elite status while controlling the public. For instance, industry moguls wanted obedience and docile industrial workers. The elite claimed progressive and humanitarian reform that would create a utopian society, but in fact they were stabilizing the environment in order to cultivate their own self-interests (Muraskin, 1976).
Anthony Platt took a closer look at social control theory through criminal justice systems, and he focused on the delinquency of juveniles. He began by pointing out that the policymakers claimed only two parties to a crime, the criminal and the victim. Platt’s stance was that the policymaker who decided that a certain crime was illegal was a party along with the enforcers of that law involved in the crime. If policymakers hadn’t made the action illegal, the crime would not exist. Again, the elite played a major role in creating policies (Muraskin, 1976).
The role of the upper- and middle-class in juvenile delinquency was paramount. They wanted to control the offspring of the lower, more dangerous class. They wanted to have total control over delinquents, and the middle-class women wanted work. They could become employed in positions that mirrored their at-home duties by becoming caregivers and role models for delinquents. Every view presented by Platt in regard to social control theory was related to self-interest (Muraskin, 1976).
Travis Hirschi came up with the basic connection between social control theory and delinquency. He developed a Hobbesian approach by using the idea that every person is able to commit criminal acts. There is nothing special about criminals that allows them a better ability to commit crime. According to Hirschi, the only thing that prevents people from committing crimes is attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief in society. Attachment is the relationships built out of society, such as family. Commitment is the work and passion that a person dedicates to future aspirations. Involvement is the time invested in the future and those relationships. Lastly, belief that the social system is valid creates individuals that are more likely to conform to societal standards. While some people may have these bonds and still commit crimes, the ability to commit the crimes, according to Hirschi, depends on the strength of those bonds. It is recognized that there is more to it than simple societal bonds, and the idea has also been proposed that the education system has a large impact on the propensity to commit crime (Wiatrowski, Griswold & Roberts, 1981).
School shooters are proof of the criminological theory of social control, and they represent a subculture of criminality that is unexpected. It is unexpected because school shooters fit into an atypical demographic. The usual juvenile offender is African American from an impoverished community, living in an urban area filled with crime. School shooters are usually Caucasian, from affluent communities, and they have no history of delinquency (Pittaro, 2007).
Social control theory can be used to evaluate school shooters. Hirschi’s theories do not have to do with social class, but they still rely on social bonding. School shooters often have targets who have bullied or assaulted them. They don’t mind collateral damage if something gets in the way of their target(s), which they typically have specified. In this way, their attachment to society is disturbed by those on which they wish to get revenge. Commitment is also lost on the school shooter because they are willing to die to kill. Involvement does not occur in societally accepted activities but rather in methods of killing, such as how to make bombs. Belief in society is the final thing missing from the social bonds of school shooters. They don’t believe in society because they view it as an obstacle to solutions regarding their predicaments (Pittaro, 2007).
The reasons that people commit crimes, according to social control theory, is because they do not have good bonds with society. It does not matter what kind of a background the criminal comes from. If they don’t have a good bond with society, they are more likely to commit crimes. In this case, even school shooters fit the theory, and it is easy to apply the theory to other types of crimes. A person unlikely to commit a crime has a strong bond with society through attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. Anti-crime efforts should be aimed at creating these bonds with society.
- Muraskin, W.A. (1976). Review: The social-control theory in American history: A critique. Journal of Social History, 9(4), 559-569.
- Pittaro, M.L. (2007). School violence and social control theory: An evaluation of the Columbine Massacre. International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences 2(1), 1-12.
- Wiatrowski, M.D., Griswold, D.B. & Roberts, M.K. (1981). Social control theory and delinquency. American Sociological Review 46(5), 525-541.
