Travis Hirschi

Travis Hirschi was an American criminologist whose theories fundamentally shaped the study of crime and deviance in the second half of the 20th century. He served as a professor at institutions such as the University of Arizona and the University of Washington and is best known for developing the Social Bond Theory and, later, the Self-Control Theory (with Michael R. Gottfredson). His work marked a shift toward control-based explanations of delinquency, focusing less on the causes of motivation and more on the absence of social restraints.

Hirschi’s Causes of Delinquency (1969) introduced the Social Bond Theory, which posits that strong social ties—attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief—prevent individuals from engaging in deviant behavior. Unlike strain or learning theories, Hirschi assumed that deviant impulses are naturally present and that conformity must be explained. In 1990, he co-authored A General Theory of Crime with Michael Gottfredson, introducing the Self-Control Theory, which attributes criminal behavior to low self-control developed in early childhood. These theories have had a profound impact on both theoretical criminology and empirical research, influencing prevention strategies and public policy.

Interview

This video interview was conducted as part of the Oral History of Criminology Project. In this conversation, Travis Hirschi discusses the development of his influential Control Theory, his collaboration with Michael Gottfredson, and his broader contributions to criminological research.