Internal And External Restraint In Criminal Behavior

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Recommended: Critics on Travis Hirschi's social control theory

The question “why do only a few engage in criminal behavior” (Abadinsky 138), when people was trying to find a link or theory on criminal behavior and a connection to society. Travis Hirschi created the social control theory in 1969 to make a link to broken or weaken connections to society and criminal behavior. The social control theory includes internal and external restraints and the four bonds or elements of society. Social Control Theory is defined as when a person bond to society is weaken or broken which result in criminal behavior which was developed by Travis Hirschi in 1969. Internal and external restraints is known as the strength of the bond to society, and it decide if an individual will move in the direction of law-abiding behavior or criminal behavior. Internal restraints are known as the superego which is a psychoanalytic theory created by psychoanalytic theorist Sigmund Freud. According to Freud, the superego is the part of a …show more content…

External restraints are known as when a person is shame by society for the criminal behavior they have committed, such as of the fear of being caught, being sent to prison, or even being giving the death sentence for the crimes they have committed. Furthermore, according to Travis Hirschi’s social control theory has four elements which are bonds to society, and which if they are broken or weaken this could likely lead to criminal behavior, or delinquency. The first bond is Attachment which has to do with the respect and affection that a person has for other people, their parents, friends, teachers, or coworkers, and if they have high attachment then they will not likely to engage in criminal

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