Criminology

Social control theories advance the view that criminal acts are consequences of the weakness, breakdown or lack of social bonds that encourage conformity. The theories emphasize on social relationships, commitments, norms, values and beliefs that are taken to explain why individuals do not break laws. Social control theories largely ignore or dismiss the importance of addressing motivational issues. Travis Hirschi, one of the most prominent social theorists, saw the motivations as so natural to humans that there was no need for special forces in explaining law breaking. The most immediate source of satisfaction or conflict resolution is law breaking and this requires no special motivation to explain (Hirschi, 1996). Man is an active and dynamic being which will engage in a wide array of activities unless this range is restricted through processes of social learning and socialization (Guo, Roettger,  Cai, 2002).

There are four elements of the social bond that Hirschis theory identifies. These are attachment, commitment, involvement and belief (Hirschi, 1996). An individual who has a business interest in the society is also bonded to the norms of the society. Criminal involvement is discouraged by conventional actions like taking up a job and establishing a social reputation since such actions build prosocial ties. Further, a conformist will not blow away his chances of advancement through committing crimes because his major aim is to be successful. An individual is also less likely to engage in crime if they care about other peoples opinions. Moreover, more involvement in conventional activities implies less time to engage in deviant behavior. Finally, one is likely to be sensitive to other peoples right and respect the laws if he believes in the way the society operates.

Even though some elements of direct control such as parental supervision are included by Hirschi in his theory, he mainly focuses on indirect control. The importance of attachment and commitment lies in the fact that a person is likely to lose something if they engage in deviant behavior. According to Hirschi (1996), there is little importance in direct controls since a large percentage of delinquencies take place when individuals are outside the supervision of authorities. Hirschi is also opposed to internal control because he feels that concepts like conscience, low self control and self concept were too subjective and difficult to measure.

Illicit Drug Use
Offenses associated with drugs are the single most important cause of the rise in United States prison population since the 1980s. Statistics show that drug offenders constituted 22 percent of admissions in the federal prisons in 1980, 39 percent in 1988, and 42 percent in 1990 (Tonry, 1995). 25 percent of federal prisoners during 1980 were drug offenders and by 1991, the figure had risen to 56 percent. These figures are not reflective of the magnitude of drug problem in the United States but the changing attitudes towards drugs within the American society.

United States has undergone period of tolerance and intolerance to drugs which has invariably affected illicit drug use statistics. The 1970s present a period of intolerance to drug use leading to the enactment of major federal narcotics legislations. The prevailing attitudes towards drug use determine the patterns of use. For instance, the period of relative tolerance to drug use is characterized by the view that the use of drugs is either mildly deviant or not deviant at all. In periods of intolerance, drug use is widely conceived as deviant thus making few people feel comfortable risking moral disapproval for supporting and tolerating drug users.

With the general negative attitude towards drug use, the trend begins to decline and public opinion turn against the use of drugs. Their acceptability therefore begins to decline. Slowly, drugs become associated with the lower social classes, in most cases with racial and ethnic groups that are either feared or despised with the middle class. The consequence is that they begin to be conceived as deviant and dangerous and a symbol of evil. The result is that tougher laws begin to be enacted to deter or incapacitate likely offenders.

Criminal laws act to define the outer limits of acceptable behavior. These limits often change over time depending on the group that is holding greater or lesser influence. As such, the use or nonuse of drugs depends on how individuals are socialized in their belief of what is wrong or acceptable behavior and not from the immediate threat of penalties (Kandel  Davies, 1992).

Application of Hirschis Social Control Theory in Explaining Illicit Drug Use
Hirschis social control theory can be applied in understanding illicit drug use. According to the theory, deviant behavior is a consequence of weak social bonds (Hirschi, 1996). However, the theory does not argue that everyone who has a weak social tie will engage in illicit drug use. Instead, it holds that the persistence of drug use suggest the absence of societal bonds (Hirschi, 1996). The majority of people do not use drugs because they are made to believe that the behavior is wrong. As such, they would not want to engage in behaviors that those closer to them do not approve of. When there is a strong social bond, one would not be tempted to engage in such behaviors like illicit drug use. Therefore, ones behavior is shaped by the presence or absence of social bonds.

For one to care about disappointing family members or close friends there must be an element of attachment, commitment and belief (Hirschi, 1996). In other words, there must be a bond. An individual may resort to illegal drug use because of the apparent dissociation with the general society beginning with the immediate family members.

Even though the theory is important in explaining illicit drug use, there are various other elements of the phenomenon that it fails to address. The theory overlooks the direction of influence on relationships. It also fails to address the impact of changing attitudes on perception about drugs apart from overlooking the role of labeling. (1001 words)