Self Control And Crime Essay

Self-Control and its Development of Morality

In 1990 a spark was lit in the world of criminology research. Gottfredson and Hirschi published A General Theory of Crime (1990), igniting the interest of crime researchers and academics alike. Their controversial work motivated many to test the theory in order to seek empirical support for, or debunk the notion that self-control (specifically low self-control) was the primary contributing factor for delinquent behavior (1990, p. 111). Despite all of the criticism that the theory has created, much of the research lends creditable support to the link between self-control and crime (Pratt & Cullen, 2000). Gottfredson and Hirschi attribute self-control as an individual trait learned and developed during early adolescence as a result of the measure of direct control that parents have on their children. They contend that people who exhibit delinquent behavior in adolescence and adulthood start demonstrating the propensity for misconduct during early childhood. The level of direct control is the basis by which the parent’s effectiveness is measured, leading to their hypothesis that poor child rearing leads to delinquent behavior (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Self-control then is the trait that

238). They go on to state that the ability to exercise self-control is the outcome of how an individual interacts with their environment. The implication is that stability in environment and stability in the individual’s capability to assess the situation affects the level of self-control the individual can exercise. They continue to argue that since most people do not participate in criminal activity, whereas those who do commit out of habit, that self-control is not a factor because there is no cost versus benefits assessment being conducted (Wikstrom & Teiber, 2007, 4, (2), p.