Assignment

Most criminologists have taken conformity for granted as part of the natural order of things

and have concentrated on trying to explain the “crime problem. As it is seen, they have found

their explanations in spirits and demons, in theories tracing the nonconformity to individual

factors such as biological abnormalities or personality defects, or in theories tracing the

nonconformity to social factors such as social disorganization, subcultural traditions, and

inequality of opportunity, all of these being factors presumed to operate so as to distort the

natural order of conformity. However, the question arises, is conformity really the natural

order of things? To what extent should it be taken for granted?

Control theory has been at the center of American criminology for the better part of a

century, so much so that we devote two chapters to this perspective. Much of its appeal is the

simplicity of its main theoretical premise: When controls are present, crime does not occur;

when controls are absent, crime is possible and often does occur. Except for the fact that

control and crime can be measured independently and the strength of the relationship

assessed empirically, there is a tautological quality to this thesis: The very existence of crime

seems to be persuasive evidence that controls have been rendered ineffective.

Reference

Lilly, J.R., Cullen, F.T., & Ball, R.A. (2019). Criminological Theory: Context and

Consequences, 7th edition. Chapter Five: Society as Insulation: The Origins of Control (p.p.

86-104)
Assignment 2

Reply

Hi Jordan, a well explained and thought of post. In this sense, control theory is not so much a

theory of deviance as a theory of conformity. It does not ask the question, "Why do people

commit crimes and acts of delinquency?"

Control theory has been at the center of American criminology for the better part of a

century, so much so that we devote two chapters to this perspective. Much of its appeal is the

simplicity of its main theoretical premise: When controls are present, crime does not occur;

when controls are absent, crime is possible and often does occur, just like you asserted.