AC2.1 explain forms of social control

• Internal Social Control

  lies within the individual, developed during socialisation. practising internal social control when you act according to your conscience. related to thoughts and views, as we grow up we are influenced by people and situations, we develop morals and codes of behaviour aka moral compass. conscience determines whether we abide by the law or commit crime. other influences: religion(provides moral code) + upbringing parents influence behaviour greatly)
• what are the three theories of internal social control?

  1. rational choice
  2. tradition
  3. internalisation of social rules and morality
• Rational Ideology

  An idea to achieve social control. Your conscience guides you to follow laws and rules due to experiencing feelings of guilt, anxiety or worry from within.
• Tradition

  Conforming to social norms and rules through a person’s traditions and upbringing teaching you and re-enforcing you to not break the law.
• Internalisation of social rules

  When a person agrees and believes in social norms and therefore internalises them & follows them. A societal norm is to not commit crime; therefore, most people internalise this and behave accordingly.
• External Social Control

  external pressures persuade or compel members of society to conform to the rules. such as teachers giving extra work or detention, are used to make individuals conform to societal rules. The most notable forms of external social control are institutions like the police and courts, whose mere presence is usually enough to ensure people behave and follow laws.
• Coercion

  Can be physical or non-violent. E.g. imprisonment, bodily injury, strikes and boycotts. Prisons use this with the threat of loss of liberty.
• fear of punishment

  Using punishment as a deterrent to stop people from offending.
• Individual deterrence

  punishment on offenders to prevent/deter them from committing further crimes.
• general deterrence

  Fear of punishment that prevents others from committing similar crimes e.g. death penalty, lengthy prison terms.
• Walter Reckless's containment theory emphasizes the importance of inner and outer controls in preventing deviant or criminal behavior. Inner containment refers to the internal controls we develop through our upbringing, such as conscience, values, and morality, which shape our self-concept as a law-abiding citizen. Outer containment involves external factors like family, friends, police, and religious authorities that reinforce societal norms. The combination of these internal and external containments dissuades individuals from deviating from social norms and committing crimes.