INFRACTION AS ACTION - A STUDY OF THE ANTECEDENTS OF ILLEGAL ACTS

• NCJ Number: 7273
• Author(s): T W HIRSCHI
• Date Published: 1968
• Length: 327 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNPUBLISHED DISSERTATION

Annotation

DATA ON JUVENILE OFFENSES IN WESTERN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, IS ANALYZED AND RELATED TO SOCIAL CONTROL THEORIES ON DELINQUENCY.

Abstract

CONTROL THEORIES ASSUME THAT DELINQUENT ACTS RESULT WHEN THE BOND TO SOCIETY IS WEAK OR BROKEN. THESE THEORIES EMBRACE HIGHLY COMPLEX CONCEPTS INVOLVING THE BOND OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO SOCIETY. CONTROL THEORIES HAVE DESCRIBED THE ELEMENTS OF THE BOND TO SOCIETY IN MANY WAYS, AND HAVE FOCUSED ON A VARIETY OF UNITS AS THE LOCUS OF CONTROL. THE AUTHOR CLASSIFIES AND DESCRIBES THE ELEMENTS OF EACH BOND TO SOCIETY. THESE ELEMENTS INCLUDE ATTACHMENTS TO PARENTS, TEACHERS, SCHOOLS, PEERS, AND TO CONVENTIONAL CAREERS AND ACTIVITIES. THEN THESE ELEMENTS ARE RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO SOURCES OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. THE RESEARCH FINDINGS ON CONTROL THEORY ARE CONTRASTED WITH STRAIN AND CULTURAL DEVIANCE EXPLANATIONS OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR.