CRIM 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Jeremy Bentham, Social Control, Family Values
21 Apr 2013
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Document Summary
Member of the classical school of criminology. Said that people were rational, and exercised free will. Would employ a hedonistic calculus in deciding whether a certain action was more likely to result in pleasure than pain. Social control and rational choice theories say there is nothing unique about criminal behaviour, and that no motivation to engage in such behaviour is quite widespread. Instead of asking why certain individuals commit crimes, social control and rational choice theorist ask why more individuals don"t commit crimes. Notion underlying all types of control theory is that conformity cannot be taken for granted. If you want conformity and social control, you need effective socialization. If people don"t learn/internalize social conventions or norms, then social controls will break down or become ineffective. Inner containment = self-control, good self-image, ability to tolerate frustration. Outer containment = family values, institutional reinforcement, effective supervision. External pulls = poverty, unemployment, the media, or delinquent friends.
