Bonds of Attachment

• Who proposed the Bonds of Attachment theory in 1969?

  Travis Hirschi
• What is the main focus of Hirschi's theory?

  Why most people do not commit crimes
• What does Hirschi suggest about those likely to commit crimes?

  They lack family attachments and work commitments
• How does Hirschi describe a likely criminal?

  Marginalised, young, and single
• What question does Hirschi pose regarding crime?

  • What stops people from committing crime?
  • Focuses on social control mechanisms
• What does Hirschi suggest is a reason for criminality?

  Absence of bonds of attachment
• How can Hirschi's ideas help prevent crime?

  • Promote activities for young people
  • Encourage marriage and employment
  • Foster values and morality in education
• How have Hirschi's ideas influenced social policymakers?

  By promoting attachment to reduce deviance
• What criticism do Marxists and feminists have of Hirschi's theory?

  It ignores societal conflict and inequality
• What do Marxists argue about capitalism's effect on individuals?

  It produces detached, marginalised individuals
• What is the role of the unemployed in capitalism according to the text?

  They form a reserve army of labour
• How does the existence of a reserve army of labour benefit the bourgeoisie?

  It helps keep wage levels down