An Introduction to Social Control: Mechanisms, Types, and Applications

Social Control What is social control? Societies not only have norms and laws that govern acceptable behavior; they also have various mechanisms to control people’s behavior. Social control refers to the systematic practices that social groups develop in order to encourage conformity to norms, rules, and laws and to discourage deviance. Social control mechanisms may be either internal or external. Internal social control takes place through the socialization process: Individuals internalize societal norms and values that prescribe how people should behave and then follow those norms and values in their everyday lives. By contrast, external social control involves the use of negative sanctions that proscribe certain behaviors and set forth the punishments for rule breakers and nonconformists. In contemporary societies, the criminal justice system, which includes the police, the courts, and the prisons, is the primary mechanism of external social control. If most actions deemed deviant do little or no direct harm to society or its members, why is social control so important to groups and societies? Why is the same belief or action punished in one group or society and not in another? These questions pose interesting theoretical concerns and research topics for sociologists and criminologists who examine issues pertaining to law, social control, and the criminal justice system. Criminology is the systematic study of crime and the criminal justice system, including the police, courts, and prisons. Th e primary interest of sociologists and criminologists is not questions of how crime and criminals can best be controlled but rather social control as a social product. Sociologists do not judge certain kinds of behavior or people as being “good” or “bad.” Instead, they attempt to determine what types of behavior are defined as deviant, who does the defining, how and why people become deviants, and how society deals with deviants. Although sociologists have developed a number of theories to explain deviance and crime, no one perspective is a comprehensive explanation of all deviance. Each theory provides a diff erent lens through which we can examine aspects of deviant behavior. Types or Agencies of Social Control Social control can be classified into two major types on the basis of the means of social control that are employed. 1. Formal control 2. Informal control Formal Control: The state makes use of law, legislation, military force, police force, administrative devices, etc for the purpose of social control. Similarly, different political, religious, economic, cultural and other association and institutions also institute formal control over the behavior of the members. Formal control is deliberately created. Various rules are led down to make it specific. The necessity of following formal control or rules is clearly stated by associations and institutions. Violators of formal control are given punishment depending upon the nature and type of violation. The organization that makes use of formal control may even create a body of officials vested witfy power to enforce control as we find it in the case of state which has established the police, military forces etc. in brief, an association, whether it is a state or a bank, or an army or a factory or anything has its own norms through which it controls the behavior of the members. All these come under formal control. Formal control has become a necessity in the modern complex societies in which interaction is mostly impersonal in nature. Informal Control: Informal control includes gossip, slander, resentment, public opinion, sympathy, and sense of justice, folkways, mores, customs, religion, morality, and such other agents. These are not purposefully created. Nothing could be said with certainty regarding their origin. They arise on their own way and in the course of time gain currency and popularity. They become deep rooted with the the people in their practices. No specific punishment would be given to the violators of informal control. Still they are more effective than the formal control. They do not require any extra staff to enforce them as it is so in the case of formal control. They do not have the physical force to enforce conformity to them. Hence, people may not observe them or go agianst them without being physically punished for the same. Faith in religion, moral convictions, public opinion, artistic standards, and the general state of enlightenment are found to be more important in informal control. Informal control is more effective in primary social groups such as family, neighborhood, tribe, rural community where interaction takes place on a personal basis. Whenever the group or the society becomes larger (in term of population) and more complex, the informal devices of control become less effective. Simple gossip and slander and censure can correct an erring ruralite but not an urban citizen. The anonymity of city life which has added to the confidence of the individual that he could commit an offence without being noticed or caught by others who are mostly engaged in their own business, contributes to the non effectiveness of informal control. Hence informal methods have given place to the formal ones such as law, education, coercion and codes, though less effective informal control also functions along with formal control in urban areas in regulating people’s activities. Steps to Attain Social Control Some of the important steps to increase social control on individuals are as here under. 1-Socialization of parents: Parents must be trained for better enforcement of social norms. Importance of social norms should be sensitizes to the parents, so that they could enforce these to their children more effectively and forcefully. 2-Model orphanage homes: Parentless children are at stake and are most vulnerable group. Model orphanage must be develop for boarding and lodging to the orphans. Religious and technical education should be given to them under one roof. Government of Punjab has setup a “child protection and welfare bureau” in this regard. Main objective of this bureau is to discourage professional children beggars and rehabilitate them socially and economically. 3-Protection of lost and kidnapped children: Lost and kidnapped children must be protected and brought to their concerning agencies and then to their parents. For this, proper mechanism should be established. Negehban, an institution of Social Welfare Department is fulfilling the purpose. This model should be replicated in the districts with dedication and commitment. 4-Socialization of beggar and unemployed: Beggars and unemployed should be given technical education and training for setting up small business. For this, small and soft loan should be given to them on long term basis. It is very much important because researchers have proved the beggary and unemployment are the major causes of crime and deviance. 5-Recreational activities: Recreational activities for the people should be given. Parks, business centers and family play land should be constructed so that people could spend their free time and socializes their children in proper manner. 6-Education: People should be educated about importance of norms. For this, effective media campaign should be initiated. Illiterate should be given formal education along with technical education. 7-Correction of offenders: Criminals who are under trial and convicted in jail should be corrected by initiating correctional and rehabilitative programs. Religious and technical education along with character building should be given to them. 8-Religious education: Religious education should be given to masses. Importance of religious norms, tolerance and patience should be encouraged by the government. 9-Role of media: Media is the only source which can change thinking direction of the people.To reduce social deviance and increase social control, this should be used by starting an effective compaign related to the objective.