Patterson

1
Pattersons Coercion Theory

• Parenting
• Context

Parental Efficacy
Childs Antisocial Behavior
2
Assumptions about Motivation towards crime

• Strain theory motivation from some sort of
  strain (e.g. blocked opportunity)
• Learning theory motivation from delinquent peers
• Control theory there is enough natural
  motivation towards crime
• No need to build in extra motivation

3
Types of Control

• Direct Control
• Direct punishments, rewards from parents, friends
• Indirect Control
• Refrain from deviance because you dont want to
  risk friends, job, etc.
• Internal Control
• Good self-concept, self-control, conscience

4
Travis HirschiCauses of Delinquency

• Identified 4 Elements of the Bond
• Attachment (emotional element)
• Commitment (stake in conformity)
• Involvement (in conventional activities)
• Belief (in the validity of the law)
• Focus here is on indirect controls

5
Evidence in Favor of Bonds

• Attachment
• Attachment to parents (wish to emulate, identify
  with)
• Commitment
• Grades, educational aspirations
• Belief
• Neutralizations

6
Criticisms of Hirschis Theory

1. Delinquents do form relationships
2. Attachment to delinquent peers or parents
   increases, rather than decreases delinquency
3. Which comes first, bonds or delinquency?
4. Bonds more salient for females, and early in
   adolescence

7
Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990)

• A General Theory of Crime
• Same control theory assumptions
• If we are all inclined to be deviant, why
  conform?
• Because most of us develop self-control
• Internal control
• Developed by age 8, as the result of direct
  control from parents

8
Nature of Crime, Nature of Low Self-Control
Criminal Acts Provide immediate gratification
of desires Are risky/thrilling Are
easy/simple Require little skill/planning Provide
few/meager long term benefits Result in
pain/discomfort to a victim
People with low self-control are
therefore Impulsive Risk-taking Physical (as
opposed to mental) Low verbal ability
Short-sighted Insensitive
9
The implications of low self-control

• Explains stability of criminal behavior
• But, how does it explain aging out?
• Explains all crime and analogous behaviors
• Analogous same nature as criminal acts

10
Empirical Support

• Moderate relationship between low self-control
  and both crime and analogous behaviors
• Holds for both males and females
• BUT
• Not the sole cause of crime
• May not explain white collar crimes

11
Policy Implications

• Hirschis Social Bond Theory
• Target attachment, commitment, belief
• Gottfredson and Hirschis General Theory
• Must focus on early childhood prevention
• Train parents?

12
REVIEW CONTROL VS. LEARNING

• Assumptions about motivation (and human nature)
• Differences over attachment to deviant others
• Differences in how neutralizations are
  construed.