Four Basic Elements Of Hirschi's Social Bond Theory

If we look at Travis Harishi’s Social Bonds Theory, one could infer that this could also relate back to law enforcement officers. Social Bonds Theory addressed that a person with strong attachments to society through groups, sports, and beliefs, are less likely to deviate than a person with weak bonds. Although, Travis Harishi’s Social Bonds Theory was created to better understand why people commit crime. This can also be used in the same way for law enforcement officers as well. Just because a person becomes an officer doesn’t mean he/she stops being human. For example, if a new officer goes into an organization that has strong unit cohesion and team work, they will feel that the organization has their back and so do the other officers. To

Social control is when a person unites to society that prevents them from violating rules therefore; if the bond weakens, they are free to commit delinquent acts. Travis Hirschi, a sociologist, argued that the social bond a person maintains with society contains the commitment to the pursuit of conventional activities, such as

The theory of Travis Hirschi, which is the social bond theory focuses on the concept of the causes and the acts of delinquency, which is what this theory is extracted from. This theory emerges when an individual’s bonds to the society and the community around them are weak or broken (Topak, 2017). The social bond theory can be described as the belief that socialization and personal relationships are significant aspects of human development, which keep individuals from committing crimes (Topak, 2017). The social bond theory is composed of four key components which are the following: attachment, commitment, involvement, and beliefs (Topak, 2017). In

Social control theory refers the ideas that society is responsible for maintaining law abiding citizens and/or producing deviant behavior (Hagan, 2016). The textbook generalizes that social control theories “view crime as taking place when social control or bonds to society break down” (Hagan, 2016, p. 170). This is concluded by the theories of four theorists – Walter Reckless, Travis Hirschi, Michael Gottfredson, and John Hagan – who investigated and theorized different philosophies that explain the relationship between crime and social control (Hagan, 2016). Reckless’s theory of containment is one of the most prominent and earliest models of social control theory (Hagan, 2016). Reckless theorized “that individuals have various social controls (containments) that assist them in resisting pressures that draw them toward criminality” (Hagan, 2016, p. 170). This theory holds that social factors and external or internal pressures influence individuals to either abide by the law or produce criminality (Hagan, 2016). A second theory is Hirschi’s social bond theory that states “delinquency takes place when a person’s bonds to society are weakened or broken, thus reducing personal stakes in conformity” (Hagan, 2016, p. 170). Hirschi posited that the bonds consist of four components: Commitment, belief, involvement, and attachment (Hagan, 2016). Commitment refers to an individual’s responsibilities, such as a job or providing for a family (Hagan, 2016). It states “if an individual

Kim Bartholomew took Bowlby’s theory a step further and proposed four styles of adult attachment based on working models of self and others (Lyddon & Sherry, 2001). These styles were secure, preoccupied, dismissing and fearful. Secure adults feel self worth and expect other people to be trustworthy. Preoccupied adults feel unworthy but feel better about other people. Dismissing adults feel they are worthy but have a negative view of others. And fearfully attached adults tend to feel unworthy and untrusting of others (Lyddon & Sherry, 2001). All of the styles noted except for secure would also fall under the broader category of insecure.

As author Doris Layton MacKenzie (2013, p. 277) explains within From Theory to Policy: Evidence-Based Corrections, early intervention is comparable to rehabilitation in that it occurs early in one’s course of life. In order to further augment this claim, the author notes that like rehabilitation, early intervention rests upon “the criminological reality that individuals with certain traits and exposed to certain social conditions develop propensities to engage in crime” (Mackenzie, 2013, p.277.). This is extremely important because it reinforces the fact that early intervention aims to diagnose and heal such individuals so that he or she will become diverted from such criminal behaviors. Early intervention is representative of a utilitarian form of punishment because it strives to prevent future crime by giving individuals the ability and opportunity to succeed at an early stage of life. Intervention programs will likely include programs that may provide adolescents with the knowledge necessary to function properly in the evolving world, like educational and social programs, among others. In conclusion, early intervention would be effective because it reflects utilitarian values that attempt to sustain society safety and

The elements include attachment to families, commitment to social norms and institutions, involvement in activities, and the belief that these things are important. Using the previous example, Gacy’s childhood was filled with broken and unhealthy relationships. In order for a child to development properly, the first component is to develop healthy attaches, most importantly, to a family. Because Gacy’s father was abusive and neglected by his father, Gacy’s attachment to society was severely damage. The second component of the social bond theory, commitment, concerns itself with the amount of energy and effort put forth into activities with other (pg. 186, Criminology Today) Because of Gacy’s antisocial behavior created through the demeaning by his father and having a heart condition which made it difficult to play sports with the other boys at school, Gacy had no goals, no motivation to curb away from deviant behavior, for example, Gacy dropped out of high school before failing to find success in Las Vegas. The third component, involvement, entails the amount of time spent with others. Applying this to the serial rapist, John Wayne Gacy, although he frequently socialized with neighbors and young boys whom he hired, his awkward social development he always felt out of place and turn to rape to feel better about himself. The last component of the social

Control theory, Anomie theory and Strain theory provide very different explanations of why people commit crimes based upon assumptions about how humans function. Control theory suggests that humans are naturally drawn to breaking the law. Humans are driven to fulfill their needs and desires. Crime provides one method by which humans can reach their goals. Control theorists would thus ask why everyone does not turn to crime to meet their wants and needs. The question shifts from the typical why do people commit crime to why do people not commit crime (Cullen and Agnew, 2011). Hirschi suggest that crime and social bonds are linked, such that crime occurs in absence of a strong social bond. The four elements of the social bonds are

One if the “best ways” viewed by society of addressing the issue of juvenile delinquency is early intervention with the family. Use of state and federal funded agencies attempt to intervene using both community and independent sources seeking new and alternative ways to combat the problem of juvenile delinquency. As stated by Florencio Ramirez “the focus in the juvenile system is not on punishment or retribution but rehabilitation and restitution” (n.d.). By offering support for the family, in the community and addressing issues such as education, employment services/training, and substance abuse counseling for the family, an early intervention provides the offender with options to change the direction in which he/she is headed (Juvenile Delinquency

Attachment theory focuses on the bond between a caregiver and a child and how these fragile bonds, if not made properly has effects on the child’s future. The attachment process itself responds to the developing identity of the child which is very dependent of the sensitivity and guidance of the caregiver. John Bowlby takes attachment theory in a more biological/ evolutionary perspective, in which he views these forming of bonds as a survival mechanism in which the infant insures its survival by attaching themselves to an adult (caregiver) who can meet their needs in order to survive. This take on the attachment theory suggests that parents and infants may be biologically programmed to form an attachment and that each behavior between the child and the caregiver helps facilitate this (Ashford 2013, 266). On a bio-social level children look for this attachment because they are biologically wired to be relate to others and be social. Regardless if the attachment theory is taken through a biological, social or even psychological approach what is certain is that the child views the caregiver as a source of protection, comfort, and emotional regulation (Howe 2009, 43). If a positive attachment is made with the caregiver the child will have confidence in themselves and others, they will be more likely to develop a good self-esteem, autonomy, and relationships with others (Kreutzer 1999, 9).

As such delinquency prevention programs often are designed towards early interventions with at-risk youths. Many attempts are implemented by public agencies and professionals to intervene by way of early training and educational programs within the public school systems as well as community intervention programs.

Social Control theory explains that everyone has the potential to become a criminal, but most people are controlled by their bonds to society. Social Control theory was developed by Travis Hirsch in 1969. Under the Social Control theory, individuals break the law due to a breakdown with Society’s bond. There are four elements that constitutes society’s bond. These four elements are attachment, commitment, involvement and belief.

Social control theory is about how society controls how every individual acts, whether they are around positive or negative influences. W.Reckless ‘s containment theory is about the influences in an individual’s life such as peer pressure, family conflicts. It is a theory that says that all humans are subject to criminal behaviour but that many people can resist the criminal behaviour using inner and outer containment. T.Hirschi’s social bond theory is a part of social control theory this part of the theory is saying that the stronger an individual’s bond is to a positive influence the less likely the person is to commit a crime. The crime to be discussed is drunk driving.

Even though all four components of the social bond theory are important, but I consider attachment to be a key component. With the lack of attachment in one’s life, there is no difference between doing a good or bad act as you do not have someone to impress or do not care what one might think about you. And due to the absence of attachment one might commit crime because they do not have strong ties with families and friends. Strong ties with family and friends sometimes held you back from committing crime because you do not want to let down your family and friends. You have an impression or reputation among them that you do not want to change. And maybe that is the reason why many people do not commit crime because of their strong ties with families, friends, and the society.

In advancing the argument about the social control theory, the author has taken the position that Hirschi’s social control and social bonding