NCJ Number
135617
Date Published
1990
Length
305 pages
Annotation
This book contributes to a theory of social control that explains the conditions under which various types of social control systems emerge, the principles under which they operate, and the degree to which they are effective.
Abstract
The study develops generalizations about the behavior of social control in social space by using evidence from sociological, anthropological, and historical studies. "Social control" is defined as "specific attempts to influence deviance and conformity." In this conception, social control is limited to purposive actions that define, respond to, and control deviant behavior. This work focuses on three aspects of social control: style, form, and effectiveness. The style of social control refers to the type of response normative violations elicit. Black has sketched four major styles of social control: penal, compensatory, conciliatory, and therapeutic. These styles differ in the ends they seek, the way they allocate responsibility for actions, the identities they provide deviants, and the focus of their sanctions. The key issue explored in the book is the varying social conditions under which these different styles come into play. Four chapters examine how the location of a dispute in social space is related to the resulting style of social control. Another four chapters consider the form of social control. Form refers to the mechanisms people use to respond to deviance. The third emphasis in the book is the effectiveness of social control. Effectiveness refers to the extent to which social control efforts achieve the goals of controllers. The concluding chapter examines some recent developments in social control. 621 references