Social control theory explains that adapting to socialization builds a self-control that reduces antisocial behaviour. The theory suggests that people’s loyalty, values, beliefs, norms, and relationships persuade them to behave as the law requires them. This therefore explains that, if individuals have moral codes they stick unto them. It has a take to realize the possible ways that can reduce chances that criminality will grow in people (Regoli et al 69).
According to Regoli et al (81), conflict theory came up in correspondent to Karl Max works that realised that the community is divided into groups of people who compete for economic and social resources. The theory lays emphasis that social order is a product of intimidation and power. Those with great shares in politics, social and economic resources, uphold this social order. In cases of consensus, it is mostly because of common interest in conflict to other groups. According to this theory, inequality is there since those in power guard the disproportionate distribution of the society resources vigorously to their advantage.
In the contrary, conflict theory does not put motivational issues into considerations; it states that people choose to engage in various activities, unless limited by socialization processes and social learning. Still contrary to social control theory, conflict theory explains that human choice is driven by hidden social contracts, arrangements, and agreements among people. Thereafter morality is generated while building social orders, assigning penalty to certain selection, and describing some as immoral, evil, or illegal (Regoli et al 93).
Policy implications by these theories in criminal justice have not been regarded seriously due to people deviant behaviour. Unlike the social control theory, conflict theory clearly differentiates between crime, criminalization, offenders’ behaviour, and law enforcers’ behaviour in criminal justice.
Policy Implication by the Social control and conflict theories.
Conflict theory acts as one of the means to explaining the philosophies behind diverse criminal justice systems and policies. To achieve criminal justice, the conflict theory neither states what is wrong or right, or state superior system in criminal justice. On the other hand, it acts as a mode explaining and analysing the objectives and effects of various criminal justice events and systems.
The policy implication of Social control theory in criminal justice is completely different from other theories. Instead of looking into why a person has committed a crime, it looks into why a person does not commit a crime. This theory argues that there is no big issue in explaining why individuals commit crimes since everyone has a weakness that drives them to committing crimes (Regoli et al 122). The theory focus is therefore on the control factors that are missing or are broken in a person committing a crime.
In conclusion, both the social control and conflict theories have a significant implication on policies used in the criminal justice system. These theories if put into use in the criminal justice they can give the people a hope for increased efficiency and equity of resources. Using these theories, recommendations such as capital punishment abolishment, decline of prison construction, created part-time community service jobs, gun control systems can be implemented efficiently (Regoli et al 379).
Work Cited
Regoli, Robert,John Hewitt and Matt DeLisi. Delinquency in Society: The Essentials. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2011. Print.
