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Social Control Theory

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Preventing Crime and Violence

Part of the book series: Advances in Prevention Science ((Adv. Prevention Science))

Abstract

For social control theory, criminal and delinquent behaviors are a natural outcome of human nature—crime provides quick and easy ways to achieve one’s desires. The focus in social control theory is on those forces that keep people from committing crime, or our bonds to society. Attachment to parents and others, commitment to conventional goals, involvement in conventional activities, and belief in the moral validity of the law are four types of bonds that give individuals a stake in conformity or something to lose by committing crime. Prevention strategies that focus on enhancing youths’ stake in conformity, particularly in early childhood, are the most promising from a social control theory perspective. Supporting parents’ ability to effectively socialize their children and enhancing youths’ engagement in school could have major long-term effects on crime and delinquency rates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, 507 Chafee Building 10 Chafee Road, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA

    Barbara J. Costello

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  1. Barbara J. Costello
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Correspondence to Barbara J. Costello .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Brent Teasdale

  2. Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA

    Mindy S. Bradley

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Costello, B.J. (2017). Social Control Theory. In: Teasdale, B., Bradley, M. (eds) Preventing Crime and Violence. Advances in Prevention Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44124-5_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44124-5_4

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