ac2.1 - explain forms of social control

• what is social control?


  this refers to the way peoples thoughts feelings and behaviour are regulated in social systems. it involves the forms of pressures to persuade or compel members of society to conform to the rules
• what are some agents of social control?


  family - friends - media - education - police - courts - government - probation
• what is the definition of form?

  types ideas theories ways of methods etc
• what is the definition of social?

  society public community collective common group etc
• what is the definition of control?

  regulate govern manage organize
• what is internal social control?

  this is when thing outside of ourselves influence and change our internal thoughts and feelings
• what is the definition of conscience?


  regulating our own behavior in accordance with accepted norms. we are told to believe that some things are morally wrong for example theft. we conform to rules because our sense of self respect demands
• what is rational ideology?

  a set of ideas and beliefs based upon rational assumptions. people used to be socially controlled through religious codes of behavior and moral expectations. if people didn't conform then they were considered a sinner. we now control ourselves rationally through our conscience through feelings of anxiety within. this guides us to reach a solution or follow laws and rules
• what is an example of rational ideology?

  not stealing for fear of being punished
• what are traditions?

  customs or norms created through religion culture or upbringing. because of this it ensures that we follow certain rules and societal norms
• what is an example of a tradition?

  people eating pancakes on shrove Tuesday - Catholics not eating red meat on good Friday to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus christ
• what is internalization of social rules and morality?


  this is when knowing what is right or wrong is based on social values. this helps us to decide what to do if in a moral dilemma. functionalists believe that society has shared values that internally control behaviors
• what is an example of internalisation of social rules and morality?


  not cheating on an exam or murdering people. these are known to be morally wrong
• what are external forms of social control?

  these are external pressures used to persuade or compel people to act in a certain way
• what are some examples of external social control?


  teachers giving out detention - police judges and prison guards are a great example of external social control as they specifically empowered to enforce conformity
• what is coercion?

  the use of force to achieve control. the action or practice of persuading someone to do something using physical force or threats
• what is violent coercion?


  this can take place in the form of bodily harm imprisonment and harsh sentences such as the death penalty. prisons use violent physical coercion because they lock people in cells or in segregation units.
• what is non-violent coercion?

  this consists of strikes boycotts and non cooperation. courts can use the non physical coercion by threatening to remove someone's liberty with a prison sentence. a suspended sentence can also be used to coerce an offender into not being sent to prison
• what is a case example of non violent coercion?

  cut the rent - a student strike in the university college London for better accommodation. rent prices were too high with 75 % of loans being spent on accommodation alone. Without consulting the students the university arranged to privatize some of the halls therefore increasing the rent. they were living in unsafe and unhygienic conditions. the strike they went on worked and the college increased the amount of the bursary fund
• what is fear of punishment?

  deterrence is the use of punishment as a threat to deter people from offending. the concept has two different types of deterrence. people are socially controlled and conform to rules because they are scared of being punished for their actions.
• what are the two types of deterrence?

  general deterrence and individual deterrence
• what is individual deterrence?


  this is when punishments imposed on an offender will deter or prevent them from committing future crimes. an example of individual deterrence are suspended sentences and custodial discharges
• what is general deterrence?

  the fear of punishment will prevent others from committing similar crimes. an example of general deterrence is lengthy prison sentences as shown in the London riots 2011, large fines or public executions
• what are the three policies of general deterrence?

  mandatory minimums - truth in sentencing - three strikes and you're out
• what is the policy mandatory minimums?


  this is the idea that certain crimes must have a minimum sentence that is applied to all cases with the same crime. for example murder has a minimum mandatory life sentence
• what is the policy truth in sentencing?


  the idea that people should have to serve their whole sentence rather than the chance of any remission
• what is the policy three strikes?


  the idea that is followed in the USA that means after the third conviction for a violent crime they receive a life sentence
• what is control theory?

  this was developed in the 1960s and 1970s and attempts to explain ways in which people can be trained to abide by laws. humans require nurturing to develop attachment bonds with people. personal bonds are vital in producing internal controls. control theory is the idea that crime is a result of insufficient attachment and commitment
• what did Travis Hirschi suggest?


  he suggested that the importance of individual bonds to society determines conformity levels. for example, young people who are not attached to their parents are more likely to be delinquent whereas young people with strong attachments are likely to view society's laws as valid and conform to them.
• what are the four stages of Hirschi's theory?


  attachment - commitment - involvement - beliefs
• explain attachment as a stage in Hirschi's theory

  the more we are attached to others, the more we care about their opinion. this means we are more likely to respect their norms and less likely to break them.
• explain commitment as a stage in Hirschi's theory


  how committed are we to conventional goals such as succeeding in education? the more committed we are the more we risk losing by being involved in crime. this makes us more likely to conform by fear of losing things we love
• explain involvement as a stage in Hirschi's theory

  the more involved in conventional and law abiding behaviors such as studying the less time and energy we have for criminal behavior. for example youth clubs keep people off the streets by keeping them busy with legal activities
• explain beliefs as a stage in Hirschi's theory

  if we have been told to believe that a certain behavior is right and legally acceptable then we are less likely to break it
• how does Hirschi suggest parents play a role in criminality?

  many control theorists emphasize the importance of parenting to keep young people away from crime. Hirschi argued that low self control is a major cause of delinquent behavior which results from poor socialization and absent parental discipline.
• what did Riley and Shaw find?


  they found that lack of parental supervision was important in creating delinquency. they argued that parents should involve themselves in their teen's lives and spend time with them. they should also take an interest in their hobbies and show disapproval of criminal activities as well as explain the consequences of crime
• what did Walter Reckless suggest about parenting?


  he highlights the importance of parenting and proper socialization. socialization can provide internal containment which can help people resist psychological tendencies to compel us to commit crimes. he also argues that external controls such as parental discipline can provide external containment
• what is differential association theory?

  this is the idea that criminal behavior is learned in interaction with others in a process of communication. from the moment people are born they are conditioned to behave a certain way e.g. learn gender roles through parents. however, interaction and socialization can also be how criminals become deviant. according to this theory, people are more likely to associate themselves with crime if they socialize with criminals. learning criminal behavior happens in primary groups and people associate themselves with those closest to them