Assumptions about “Motivation
towards crime”



Strain theory: motivation from some sort of
strain (e.g. blocked opportunity)
Learning theory: motivation from delinquent
peers
Control theory: there is enough natural
motivation towards crime
–
No need to “build in” extra motivation
Types of Control

Direct Control
–

Indirect Control
–

Direct punishments, rewards from parents, friends
Refrain from deviance because you don’t want to
risk friends, job, etc.
Internal Control
–
Good self-concept, self-control, conscience
Travis Hirschi
Causes of Delinquency

Identified 4 Elements of the Bond
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
Attachment (emotional element)
Commitment (stake in conformity)
Involvement (in conventional activities)
Belief (in the validity of the law)
Focus here is on indirect controls
Evidence in Favor of Bonds

Attachment
–

Commitment
–

Attachment to parents (wish to emulate, identify
with)
Grades, educational aspirations
Belief
–
Neutralizations
Criticisms of Hirschi’s Theory
1.
2.
3.
4.
Delinquents do form relationships
Attachment to delinquent peers or parents
increases, rather than decreases delinquency
Which comes first, bonds or delinquency?
Bonds more salient for females, and early in
adolescence
Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990)

A General Theory of Crime
–
–

Same control theory assumptions
If we are all inclined to be deviant, why conform?
Because most of us develop “self-control”
–
–
“Internal control”
Developed by age 8, as the result of “direct control”
from parents
Nature of Crime, Nature of Low
Self-Control
Criminal Acts…
Provide immediate gratification
of desires
People with low self-control
are therefore…
Impulsive
Are risky/thrilling
Are easy/simple
Require little skill/planning
Provide few/meager long term
benefits
Result in pain/discomfort to a
victim
Risk-taking
Physical (as opposed to mental)
Low verbal ability
Short-sighted
Insensitive
The implications of low self-control

Explains “stability of criminal behavior”
–

But, how does it explain “aging out?”
Explains all crime and analogous behaviors
–
Analogous = same “nature” as criminal acts
Empirical Support

Moderate relationship between low self-control
and both crime and analogous behaviors
Holds for both males and females

BUT

–
–
Not the “sole cause” of crime
May not explain white collar crimes
Policy Implications

Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory
–

Target attachment, commitment, belief
Gottfredson and Hirschi’s General Theory
–
–
Must focus on early childhood prevention
Train parents?
REVIEW
CONTROL VS. LEARNING



Assumptions about motivation (and human
nature)
Differences over attachment to “deviant others”
Similarity?
–
“Direct Controls” are similar to “Mechanisms of
Learning”
Patterson Revisited: Revenge of
the control theorists
Parenting
Context
Parents
supervise
and punish
deviance
Child’s
Antisocial
Behavior
Is Patterson a “social learning” or “control”
theorist???