Family influence on delinquency and crime

Sociology

Families, Delinquency and Crime

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and analyze the topic of delinquency and crime. Specifically, it will compare and contrast two sociological theories that apply to delinquent behaviors, including major theorists in the area of sociology and delinquent crime. Delinquency, combined with gang membership may be one of the most pervasive problems facing American society today. Sociologists discuss group influences, social conditioning, and other factors when they discuss the sociological approach to crime. They offer several theories for delinquency, including the cultural deviance theories and social control theories, which this paper will address.

The social control theory of juvenile delinquency believes that social learning and socialization, which teaches self-control and reduces the need to participate in antisocial or deviant behavior, can control delinquency. Two experts note, "Within the framework of social control theory, the more the youths are attached, committed, and believe in the moral validity of the social norms, the stronger are their social bonds and the less likely they are to commit delinquent acts (Geiger & Fischer, 1995, p. 69). The social control theory is broken down into four distinct types, which include direct, indirect, internal, and control through needs satisfaction. Direct control includes punishment for deviant behavior and rewards for normal, approved behavior. Indirect includes the youth's own choice not to engage in deviant behavior because of their own conscience or ego. Internal includes controls that help prevent deviant behavior because of what it would do to other close family members or friends, and finally, the needs satisfaction type that recognizes when all needs are met, there is no need for deviant behavior. This theory literally uses the beliefs and value systems of a person to show that deviant behavior comes when beliefs and values are skewed. Most often, beliefs and values are passed along to children from their families, which makes the family unit extremely responsible for the actions and belief systems of their children. Thus, children from happier more bonded and "normal" family units will have less of a need to commit deviant acts of juvenile delinquency and violence. One of the leading social control theorists, Hirschi said, "[C]hildren who are attached to many significant others and have various avenues of commitment have additional stakes in conformity and stronger beliefs in the moral validity of the social norms. They are therefore less likely to deviate" Geiger & Fischer, 1995, p. 69). This takes into account morals and societal values, and the agreed on cultural belief systems of a particular group, neighborhood, or community, as well.

In contrast, the cultural deviance theory is directly opposed to the social control theory. Cultural deviance theory proposes that the subculture and environment have vast influence on the juvenile, and pressures the juvenile to deviate from accepted norms and become delinquent and commit crimes. Expert Hirschi notes, "According to cultural deviance theories, the deviant conforms to a set of standards not accepted by a larger or more powerful society" (Hirschi, 2002, p. 3). Thus, these two theories offer two very different approaches to why crimes are committed and what causes juveniles to choose crime over conformity. The control theory believes laws and morals prevent deviance, while the cultural deviance theory believes morals, peer pressure, and the individual's environment all combine to cause deviant behavior.

Obviously, both of these theories have their basis in deviant behavior and what prevents it. However, the influence of family is recognized in the control theory, as they are part of the overall influences that shape an individual's morals and ideals, and help them decide whether to abide by the laws or not. Family teaches the correct morals and social behavior in the control theory and the individual abides by these morals because they know they are the "right" thing to do. However, the individual is more swayed by peer pressure and societal pressures in the cultural deviance theory, and that their own conditions and what society expects of "successful" people push them into choosing deviant behavior to get the things they feel they need or must have to survive and thrive. In addition, these theories believe that individuals set their own standards of right and wrong, and so do not believe they are committing deviant acts in their own parameters of behavior (Hirschi, 2002, p. 11).

Perhaps the most major and identifiable sociological theorist is Emile Durkheim. He literally helped formulate the ideas and theories of modern sociology, and many of the criminal justice theories are based on his ideas. Durkheim developed many of the modern theories of criminality, such as cultural disintegration, which can lead to an individual's gradual disassociation from society, with no bonds or commitments to a society that is dissolving around him or her. Durkheim felt this could help lead to deviant behavior and even suicide (Geiger & Fischer, 1995, p. 72). He also felt crime in society is normal, and it can even lead to desirable social reforms, ideas that were very revolutionary when he lived and worked in the late 19th century. Many later theorists used Durkheim's models, including social theorist Travis Hirschi, an expert in social control theory and delinquency.

Travis Hirschi is not the father of the social control theory, but his book, Causes of Delinquency, written in 1969 has been hailed as a landmark book in the field of control theory. He updated the book in 2002, and it is still the "Bible" of the social control theory. He believes that the cultural deviance theory helps explain why so many ghetto residents join gangs and become involved in criminal activities. He writes, "There is a very strong tendency for boys to have friends whose activities are congruent with their own attitudes" (Hirschi, 2002, p. 159). Thus, the social order of their environment is no longer family and value oriented, it is peer oriented, and this helps explain both the culture of gangs and the cultural devaince theory. These youths live ouside the mainstream of traditional society, and their values and needs are very different than a typical modern middle-class youth. They must survive, often in poverty, broken families, and with drug or alcohol-addicted parents and family members. Thus, their models for normalcy are far different than youths who grow up in a family with strong morals and ideals and pass those ideals through the family. The same youth in middle-America sees gang and violent activity as morally wrong, while the inner city youth sees it as a way to survive and perhaps make it out of the ghetto.