Social Control: Genesis, Conceptual, and Theoretical Issues

This article discusses basic issues in, and of social control. Siding with the impossibility of deviant, and crime free society notion, and the need to have mechanisms in place, for ensuring conformity to norms, and rules - social control-, the paper visited the two processes of social control, (internal, and external), as identified by Clinard, and Meier, (1998). Two broad types of social control viz informal, and formal, have been briefly explained, showing the efficacy of the latter for curtailing crimes in contemporary societies. Upon reviewing Braithwaite’s, (1989), shaming theory, where societal shame is the center of activities in controlling deviance, and crime, and Hirschi’s, (1969), control theory, in which attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief are critical concerns, the paper remains somehow optimistic, in determined, and sincere application of social control measures for rehabilitating deviants, and criminals, and eventually having, as well as sustaininga largely comforming, and law abiding society.

This article discusses basic issues in, and of social control. Siding with the impossibility of deviant, and crime free society notion, and the need to have mechanisms in place, for ensuring conformity to norms, and rules - social control-, the paper visited the two processes of social control, (internal, and external), as identified by Clinard, and Meier, (1998). Two broad types of social control viz informal, and formal, have been briefly explained, showing the efficacy of the latter for curtailing crimes in contemporary societies. Upon reviewing Braithwaite’s, (1989), shaming theory, where societal shame is the center of activities in controlling deviance, and crime, and Hirschi’s, (1969), control theory, in which attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief are critical concerns, the paper remains somehow optimistic, in determined, and sincere application of social control measures for rehabilitating deviants, and criminals, and eventually having, as well as sustaininga largely comforming, and law abiding society.