What Causes Delinquency?

Paper Summary:

The paper explains that the social control theory depicts social institutions and society as major contributors to delinquency, which are reinforced by the criminals' environment or social construct in a positivistic perspective. The paper further explains how contrary to this, the self-control theory defines the early childhood development of a delinquent as reinforcing an internal sense of identity, which manifests itself into criminal behaviors outside of social bonding.

From the Paper:

"The theorizations of Jack P. Gibbs can best help to explain a comparison and contrast of the Social Control Theory and that of the Self-Control Theory in criminology. Gibbs helped to construct a theorization on the nature of Social Control Theory that has been centered on the positivism of Strain theory, as well as Conflict Theory in relation to the role of delinquency and crime. Gibbs (1994) defines social controls through the medium of "homicide" as a criminal example of deviant delinquent behavior is affected by social organizations, such as the criminal justice system as a third party "mediator" that often dictates the way they judge social norms in regards to crime (p.49). In this manner, social control is dictated by the reaction of the justice system in relation to occurrence of crimes in relation to the reoccurrence of the conflict between victim and aggressor."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Ronald Akers and Social Learning Theory." (2006). Florida State University. Retrieved 14 February, 2007 from http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/akers.htm
• Gibbs, J. P. (1994). A theory about control. New York: Westview.
• Gottfredson, D.C. (2000). Schools and delinquency. Oxford: Cambridge University Press.
• Welch, K. (1998). "Two major theories of Travis Hirschi." Florida State University. Retrieved 14 February, 2007 from http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/hirschi.htm

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