IVAN NYE

Sociological Theories of Deviance

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

UMD

CONTROL THEORY

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR

I. CONTROL THEORY ASKS A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT QUESTION FROM MOST THEORIES

IS DELINQUENCY PRODUCED?
"WHAT MAKES PEOPLE COMMIT DELINQUENT ACTS?"

IS CRIME PREVENTED?
"WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM COMMITTING DELINQUENT ACTS?"

IT IS TRUE THAT BOTH PLAY ROLE
BUT

"...MOST DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IS THE RESULT OF INSUFFICIENT SOCIAL CONTROL, BROADLY DEFINED."

SOCIETY SETS GOALS FOR ALL OF US BUT ALSO SETS BARRIERS OR LONG ROAD, TO ACHIEVING THOSE GOALS

DEFERRED GRATIFICATION

II. SINGLE CAUSE VS MULTIPLE CAUSE

PROBLEMS WITH SINGLES CAUSE CAN'T EXPLAIN EVERYTHING

BUT THEY DO EXPLAIN PORTION

NYE'S FOCUS IS WEAK CONTROLS

TRYING TO RECOGNIZE THAT SOME FORCES PROPEL YOU INTO CRIME WHEN COMBINED WITH WEAKENED CONTROLS

WE DO NOT HAVE INSTINCTS
"CONFORMITY, NOT DEVIATION, MUST BE LEARNED."

THEREFORE:

"IT IS OUR POSITION, THEREFORE, THAT IN GENERAL BEHAVIOR PRESCRIBED AS DELINQUENT OR CRIMINAL NEED NOT BE EXPLAINED IN ANY POSITIVE SENSE, SINCE IT USUALLY RESULTS IN QUICKER AND EASIER ACHIEVEMENT OF GOALS THAN THE NORMATIVE BEHAVIOR. THE PROCESSES, AGENCIES, AND RELATIONSHIPS WHICH PREVENT IT ARE THE SUBJECT OF SOCIAL CONTROL AS APPLIED TO DELINQUENCY."

MAY NOT BE THE MOST USEFUL APPROACH FOR LOOKING AT NON-UTILITARIAN BEHAVIOR, ALTHOUGH IT COULD BE.

III. THE CORE OF SOCIAL CONTROL INVOLVES RELATED CLUSTERS

DIRECT CONTROL

IMPOSED FROM WITHOUT BY MEANS OF RESTRICTION AND PUNISHMENT
A. IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF MOST SOCIETIES,

PARENTS USE IT IN SETTING LIMITS;
SETTING PUNISHMENTS; TIMEOUTS, COUNTING
B. THIS IS ONLY EFFECTIVE WHEN THE CHILD CAN BE DETECTED
INTERNALIZED CONTROL

EXERCISED FROM WITHIN THROUGH CONSCIENCE

SOCIALIZATION,
IF THIS WORKS COMPLETELY YOU NEED NOT DO MORE

FAILURE OF THIS TO WORK MAY BE DO TO PROBLEMS WITH THE NORMS, GOALS, OR WITH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARENT AND CHILD
INDIRECT CONTROL

RELATED TO AFFECTIONAL IDENTIFICATION WITH PARENTS AND OTHER NON-CRIMINAL PERSONS
- OUR DRIVE TO HAVE LIFE BETTER FOR OUR CHILDREN, PLACES THEM IN THE POSITION OF NOT ACCEPTING WHAT WE ACCEPT, SECOND GENERATION, RURAL-URBAN, ETC.
- CHILDREN BREAK FROM PARENTS OVERTIME,
  IF THEY DEVELOP DISLIKE, INDIRECT CONTROL DIMINISHES
AVAILABILITY OF OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURE

WE ARE NOT SURE OF ALL THE NEEDS PEOPLE HAVE
WE ARE SURE NOT ALL CAN BE MET FOR EVERYONE
MEETING NEEDS IN THE FAMILY PREPARES ONE'S ENTIRE LIFE AND HELPS ONE TO MEET NEEDS WHEN OUTSIDE THE FAMILY

"THE FAMILY IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE SINGLE FACTOR MOST IMPORTANT IN EXERCISING SOCIAL CONTROL OVER ADOLESCENTS."

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