There are two types of social control, formal and informal. Formal social control is law and informal social control is social interaction among members of a society. Both forms are effective in controlling behavior of individuals (Vago, 2012). Functionalists argue that social control is vital to keep society in a state of stability and equilibrium, while Marxists argue social control is a just a way for the ruling class to control the underclass by imposing their views and values on society through laws created to reflect their own interests (Browning, 2015).
Travis Hirschi states that people are more likely the take part in criminal activity when their attachment to society is weakened, and it is social bonds that hold people together. …show more content…
Informal mechanisms of social control are socially constructed and include norms, which are rules that tell society members how to behave; mores, which are ethical rules such as prohibitions of murder and rape; and folkways, which are norms and socially construed conventions shared by members of a society. Folkways include hairstyles, clothing, diet, and manners (Browning, 2015). These types of informal mechanisms keep society in a level of maintained conformity. Informal social control is also present in our bonds and attachments to society, like Hirschi stated. Family is one of the most strongest, most important forms of informal social control, and failure of family makes informal social control ineffective (Vago, …show more content…
We already know where there is more informal social control there is less law so it is safe to assume that in middle to upper class homogenous communities where family ties are stronger and education is valued more, informal social control is more effective in controlling deviant behavior than in inner city, impoverish, heterogeneous communities where high school drop out rates are higher (Vago, 2012). A study done by Sarah Boggs found that where community residents felt their were more likely to become crime victims, there was less social control. In fact, Boggs found that over 80% or residents who felt safe in their communities attributed it to informal social controls. Boggs founds the residents claimed they felt safe because their community was comprised of “’good, decent, law-abiding, middle-class citizens’ (Boggs, 1971:323) (Vago, 2012).” Communities such as these, Boggs found its residents were likely to feel like they could rely on neighbors to deter crime before going to the police, where as inner city resident’s didn’t even know their neighbors. Black would agree as his theory states law varies inversely with other social control (Black,
Travis Hirschi states that people are more likely the take part in criminal activity when their attachment to society is weakened, and it is social bonds that hold people together. …show more content…
Informal mechanisms of social control are socially constructed and include norms, which are rules that tell society members how to behave; mores, which are ethical rules such as prohibitions of murder and rape; and folkways, which are norms and socially construed conventions shared by members of a society. Folkways include hairstyles, clothing, diet, and manners (Browning, 2015). These types of informal mechanisms keep society in a level of maintained conformity. Informal social control is also present in our bonds and attachments to society, like Hirschi stated. Family is one of the most strongest, most important forms of informal social control, and failure of family makes informal social control ineffective (Vago, …show more content…
We already know where there is more informal social control there is less law so it is safe to assume that in middle to upper class homogenous communities where family ties are stronger and education is valued more, informal social control is more effective in controlling deviant behavior than in inner city, impoverish, heterogeneous communities where high school drop out rates are higher (Vago, 2012). A study done by Sarah Boggs found that where community residents felt their were more likely to become crime victims, there was less social control. In fact, Boggs found that over 80% or residents who felt safe in their communities attributed it to informal social controls. Boggs founds the residents claimed they felt safe because their community was comprised of “’good, decent, law-abiding, middle-class citizens’ (Boggs, 1971:323) (Vago, 2012).” Communities such as these, Boggs found its residents were likely to feel like they could rely on neighbors to deter crime before going to the police, where as inner city resident’s didn’t even know their neighbors. Black would agree as his theory states law varies inversely with other social control (Black,