Conflict Theory to Social Control Theory

The major purpose for this paper is to discuss the conflict theory and social control theory ay different phases. This paper will discuss how personal issues are parallel to social problems by which people will try and associate their issues and problems to society. With as many factors there are in sociology which help mold and shape the personal level to the simple aspect of a person’s life. So when exploring sociological imagination which originated in 1950 by C. Wright Mills, an American sociologist, there is a distinctions between them two. For instance, teenage drinking is an issue and that they must realize teenage drinking is not an isolated problem. Instead the shame and the problems will face later in life, but according to the theory of sociological imagination the blame should be put on the parents, peers, lack of information, or influences by society which led to current issues and/or problem.

This paper will discuss how commitments, values, beliefs encourage people to avoid breaking the law. Moral values and pride within the community, will help obsolete deviant acts from being committed. The concept of social control theory is to understand the reduction of crime. When focusing on the discussion within this paper on comparing conflict and social control theories, and which theory does a better job of addressing the occurrence of crime in contemporary American society. This paper will also include an evaluation of the effects of positive and negative reinforcement on crime in both theoretical frames, and giving specific examples which support the findings. Individuals choose to participate in activities that led to criminal behavior. Derivative view on social agreements, arrangements, or contracts among individuals, the morals from social order, and the consequences.

Self-control theory is the lack of individual self-control which is the main reason for criminal behavior. This theory originally dolloped by criminologists Travis Hirschi and he states that “a youth with ineffective parenting will have less self-control than those youths with better parents” (1969). Hirschi felt that any individual with low levels of self-control are involved in criminal acts or have criminal behavior. Most important factor behind crime is individual lack of self-control. Individual self-control improves with age as a result of many factors: biology, hormonal, socialization, opportunity cost, with a trait of ego depletion where willpower and self-control is at its low point and that individual gives up and goes out to commit crimes.

Conflict theory views crime are caused by social and financial forces in society. So when focusing on the conflict within the community keeping a pattern formed by a series of movements or something similar without being genetically identifiable, which displays any or all conflict of interests. As individuals argue on how criminal law are in place to control middle to lower class people while