Q-3. Discuss Hirschi’s social bond theory and its impact on the juvenile justice system
Travis Hirschi created the social bond theory in 1969. He believed in having a good understanding of the elements of Social Bonding which would help in understanding the problems that face the family unit. One of his many and most focused theories were commitment to social norms such as involvement with school and employment and other social activities.
Hirschi later advanced the Social Bond Theory into the Social Control Theory. This was a product from the General Theory of Crime. The difference between the General Theory of Crime and the Social Bond Theory is the emphasis on peers and peer groups of individuals. I found it interesting to read …show more content…
In previous studies, family attachment has been found to be significantly related to status offenses and in-home delinquency. Scholars provided further studies and replicated Hirschi’s theory. Of these results they provided further positive support for Hirschi’s 1969 Social Control Theory. Hirschi’s Social Control Theory, peer attachment was significantly related to alcohol use. I read in previous studies, peer attachment has been found to be significantly related to all types of delinquent acts from status offenses to serious delinquent acts. The results were not consistent with the results from previous studies. A possible reason for these results could be that truancy and running away are both acts which an individual does more by him/herself, and peer attachment may not have a huge effect on either of these status offenses. The element of belief was found to be significantly related to truancy and running away which is consistent with Hirschi’s Social Control Theory. Previous research done by Wiatrowski, Griswold, and Roberts in 1981 found that belief was more consistent in lowering levels of delinquency than the other three bonds. The results showed that family attachment was more consistent in lowering levels of delinquency than belief, involvement, or …show more content…
However, results varied for each status offense which indicates that the bonds affect alcohol use, truancy, and running away from home differently. Also, results for commitment are somewhat confusing since each question measuring commitment found different results. Despite the information, there is evidence that attachment, involvement, commitment, and belief do affect the status offenses of drinking underage, running away from home, and truancy to some extent. This offers support for Hirschi’s 1969 Social Control Theory. However, some of the findings seem to question some aspects of this theory. It is my opinion that further research needs to be done to determine whether Hirschi’s 1969 theory is still a good predictor of delinquency.
Based on Hirschi’s 1969 theory and scholars that replicated his work showed their studies have had a positive result on our juvenile justice
Travis Hirschi created the social bond theory in 1969. He believed in having a good understanding of the elements of Social Bonding which would help in understanding the problems that face the family unit. One of his many and most focused theories were commitment to social norms such as involvement with school and employment and other social activities.
Hirschi later advanced the Social Bond Theory into the Social Control Theory. This was a product from the General Theory of Crime. The difference between the General Theory of Crime and the Social Bond Theory is the emphasis on peers and peer groups of individuals. I found it interesting to read …show more content…
In previous studies, family attachment has been found to be significantly related to status offenses and in-home delinquency. Scholars provided further studies and replicated Hirschi’s theory. Of these results they provided further positive support for Hirschi’s 1969 Social Control Theory. Hirschi’s Social Control Theory, peer attachment was significantly related to alcohol use. I read in previous studies, peer attachment has been found to be significantly related to all types of delinquent acts from status offenses to serious delinquent acts. The results were not consistent with the results from previous studies. A possible reason for these results could be that truancy and running away are both acts which an individual does more by him/herself, and peer attachment may not have a huge effect on either of these status offenses. The element of belief was found to be significantly related to truancy and running away which is consistent with Hirschi’s Social Control Theory. Previous research done by Wiatrowski, Griswold, and Roberts in 1981 found that belief was more consistent in lowering levels of delinquency than the other three bonds. The results showed that family attachment was more consistent in lowering levels of delinquency than belief, involvement, or …show more content…
However, results varied for each status offense which indicates that the bonds affect alcohol use, truancy, and running away from home differently. Also, results for commitment are somewhat confusing since each question measuring commitment found different results. Despite the information, there is evidence that attachment, involvement, commitment, and belief do affect the status offenses of drinking underage, running away from home, and truancy to some extent. This offers support for Hirschi’s 1969 Social Control Theory. However, some of the findings seem to question some aspects of this theory. It is my opinion that further research needs to be done to determine whether Hirschi’s 1969 theory is still a good predictor of delinquency.
Based on Hirschi’s 1969 theory and scholars that replicated his work showed their studies have had a positive result on our juvenile justice