Self-Control Theory of Crime Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Self-Control Theory of Crime Evaluation - Essay Example   The social control theory addresses issues that enhance social order and compliance. It analyzes factors that determine whether certain activities are against the law. The theory states that the concepts that one perceives as norms are implied behavioral rules. This means that social stability relies on people’s responsibilities for others based on courtesy and etiquette. Violation of norms leads to punishment that varies depending on the prevalence of the norm. This theory emphasizes the effects of parental influence on crime rate. Positive reinforcement, as understood in the theory, may lead to a safe and happy community. This is because it enhances motivational factors that may foster acceptable behaviors. One of the motivational factors is love. For example, a person who feels loved is likely to love other individuals and become a peaceful person. However, a person who feels unloved is likely to be dangerous like the persons who are abused by the community (Burfeind & Bartusch, 2011). An additional advantage of the theory is its ability to foster social morality. This leads to social order that eventually becomes part of societal processes. This is because moral values become intrinsic features. Additionally, the theory emphasizes the promotion of appropriate behaviors through the development of social consciousness enhanced by attachment. It is fundamental to acknowledge that attachment is the bond that exists between a person, his or her family, and the entire community. The attachment is vital in the maintenance of social order because it encourages deference for authority and acceptance of the norm through commitment. Lack of commitment increases the occurrence of crime in a community, while commitment makes people look for ways of meeting their needs lawfully. Sociologists believe that such involvement discourages unlawful actions. For example, young individuals who are strongly attached to their parents are unlikely to engage in unexpected behaviors compared to persons who are distant from their parents. This is because attachment enhances direct control of children, reducing the probability of engaging in deviant behaviors. Positive reinforcement leads the formation of self-image.   Sociologists posit that one forms one’s self-image during one’s childhood, and this self-image is carried forward to the adulthood. Positive reinforcements can lead to the formation of a good self-image that makes an individual perceive himself or herself as a good person. Individuals with good images do not commit crimes because their conscience cannot allow them. For example, children who perceive themselves as good can resist peer pressure that lead to delinquencies. This is especially the case in places where crime rates are high, especially in informal settlements. People with poor images of themselves are likely to commit crimes because they are bitter (Burfeind & Bartusch, 2011). Additionally, positive reinforcement can enhance moral beliefs. These beliefs allow people to embrace the society’s moral concepts and hinder their involvement in unlawful behaviors. For example, if a child grows up believing that drugs can kill, he or she will not take the drugs (Hirschi, 2001). Negative reinforcement, as understood in the social control theory, increases crime. Factors that lead to negative reinforcem