Gottfredson's Theory Of Crime

Humans commit crimes for a variety of reasons that may sometimes be difficult to understand. Criminology is comprised of numerous theories that attempt to predict and prevent different criminals’ behaviors. Beth has been charged multiple times for shoplifting and fraud ever since she was fourteen years old. There are several important facts about Beth to consider in order to figure out which theory best explains her criminal activities. She started consuming alcohol since the age of twelve, was pregnant with her first child at the age of fifteen, and currently lives in a high-crime neighborhood. She has been divorced twice and has four children, each of them with different fathers. Her stepfather abused her when she was young, and recently her boyfriend physically

The subcultural theory applies to people who live in subordinate socioeconomic positions. These people may not have the same opportunities as the middle-class, which make them deviate from the social norms as a response. Although these two theories may seem to attribute to small aspects of Beth’s crimes, her background information leads to the conclusion that her delinquent behaviors can be best explained by the self-control theory, also known as the general theory of crime.

Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson posited the self-control theory in 1990. It states that people commit crimes because they are not sufficiently restrained. In other words, people who lack self-control require social constraints to keep them from engaging in illegal activities. Emile Durkheim stated that men are creatures with unlimited desires, and external social constraints are necessary to prevent them from committing crimes (Jacqueline Lee, personal communication, April 26, 2016). Social constraints include conformity to the societal norms and social experience,