Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Control theories focus on explaining why people do not commit crime, in contrast to approaches that seek to explain why people offend. They begin with the assumption that most individuals are naturally motivated to pursue their own interests, which can include deviant or criminal acts, if left unchecked. The central question for control theorists is
The Control Balance Theory, developed by Charles R. Tittle in the 1990s, is an ambitious attempt to create a general theory of deviance that explains both the likelihood and the type of deviant behavior. Unlike many other control theories that focus only on external social constraints, Tittle’s model emphasizes the dynamic relationship between the control
Travis Hirschi’s Social Bonds Theory (1969) is one of the most influential control theories in criminology. Rather than asking why people commit crime, Hirschi asks why they conform to rules at all. He argues that human beings have a natural tendency toward deviance, and that conformity results from effective social control rooted in strong social
Power-Control Theory, developed by John Hagan and colleagues in the 1980s, is a sociological theory that explains gender differences in delinquency by linking family power structures to patterns of socialization and control. The theory integrates insights from control theories, Marxist perspectives, and feminist criminology. It argues that the distribution of power within families shapes how