Social Control

Social Control 1 Social Control and Behavior Samantha Sipes Criminology 1017-42 1. Cesare Beccaria argued that the threat of punishment controls crime. Do other forms of social control exist? Aside from the threat of legal punishment, what else controls your behavior? In my opinion a lot of factors play a role in social control such as family, church and school. These Three factor can determine a person behavior. You are taught how to act, morals and beliefs at a small age. Having fear of losing your family or have them look at you with a despise is a strong social and self control. Everyone wants to be accepted and belong in today’s social environment. Church is can also be a strong social control instation by providing you with a strong foundation of faith which can determine your behavior toward life. Being a teenager myself school played a big social control for me most of my lessons were taught in school. 2. Aside from the threat of legal punishment, what else controls your behavior? A person’s personal sense of right/wrong, fearing of disappointing loved ones and friends and caring about other people are main factors in controlling my behavior. I big social control for me was my family I knew the consequence if I failed them or hurt them. I don’t have the heart to misbehave and treat people wrong. It is believed that most humans have a built in guide to what is morally right and wrong. Society in general sets a standard for what is right and wrong (not laws) and most people want to be seen by their friends and neighbors as good people with high morals. I personally believe this has more to do with our behavior than the threat of punishment. If the threat of punishment controls crime then why are our prisions overcrowded? Some people believe in God and believe he demands that we be morally good, but that is also made with the threat of punishment if we do not follow his teachings.