The Social Control Theory, by Travis Hirschi, supposes that the failure by juvenile offenders to have meaningful social influences while growing up drives them to engage in unlawful actions. These influences come from family members, friends, society, beliefs, and other social activities. This theory has been used by different scholars to highlight the underlying causes of juvenile delinquency.
The theory shows why it is important for children to have strong parental and peer attachments while they are growing up. The theory argues that family and social attachments which children have within the environment they are growing up in have a big influence on their personality. Positive ties to families and friends help teenagers to have good moral influences which enable them to grow up as model citizens.
The theory further argues that good parental influence deters children and teenagers from engaging in bad behavior. The theory reveals that positive peer influences help adolescents to act responsibly and this deters them from engaging in criminal activities. Shoemaker notes that external attachments to community and school have an impact on an adolescent’s behavior and character (103). Any positive or negative influence determines the behavior of that young person in society.
The theory also shows the value of commitment to society and how this impacts adolescents while they are growing up. Adolescents who are committed to a specific social group or organization are likely to avoid engaging in unlawful activities. They grow up with a sense of duty and responsibility which enables them to conform to acceptable values and norms in society.
This deters them from getting lured into crime because their commitment to positive societal values gives them a good moral foundation that enables them to grow up responsibly (Shoemaker 103). Children learn from social systems which they are exposed to which affect their behavior and attitudes towards authority. This helps them not to deviate and engage in crime.
The theory shows that strong beliefs in conventional behavior make an adolescent choose the right path in life. Many societies regard honesty, trust, integrity, fairness, and kindness as virtues that shape a person’s character positively. These attributes encourage adolescents to avoid getting involved in criminal activities which are shunned by many people in society. An adolescent who is raised in an environment where many people act irresponsibly is likely to be lured into unlawful acts. The teenager may engage in deviant behavior which gets him in trouble with authorities (Ozbay and Ozcan 136). Adolescents need to be taught positive and acceptable ideals to help them make the right choices in life.
The theory argues that involvement by the youth in different social activities gives them little time to engage in vices and other unlawful activities. Idle adolescents, with nothing better to do, are easily lured into criminal activities which make them get into trouble with authorities. Young people need to be encouraged to involve themselves in different social activities to stay focused and busy. This involvement has a positive effect because it keeps youth out of unlawful activities. This helps to shape their behavior and fosters in them a sense of duty and responsibility (Ozbay and Ozcan 143). This acts as a deterrence to juvenile delinquency because they can avoid getting lured into criminal activities.
Works Cited
Ozbay, Ozden, and Yusuf Ziya Ozcan. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 52. 2 (2008): 134-157. Web.
Shoemaker, Donald J. Juvenile Deliquency. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 2013. Print.