Youthful Offending and Bonding Theory

Statistics regarding youthful offending show that the high point is during mid-late adolescence and this declines once adulthood is reached. This phenomenon may be explained by looking at the theory of social control and bonding and how this relates to the criminal activities of young offenders. In essence, social control and a bond to society provide the basis of behaviour which is considered normal rather than delinquent. These bonds can be said to strengthen over time as adolescents grow, leading to maturity gleaned through life and societal experience. This idea causes delinquency for the majority of adolescents to cease or diminish as adulthood is reached.

Firstly it is important to define social control (bonding) theory. The focus of this theory is on why most people do not commit crime, and this is attributed to social control.¹ Most people are bonded to society through exhibiting four specific traits that create the bond. These are attachment to others, commitment to goals, involvement in activities such as school, work and sport and belief in obeying rules.² These create the bond to society and provide the basis for social control. If one is attached to others, is committed to goals, participates in social activities and believes in the rule not only of law, but of morals, then that individual has the foundations for controlling any tendency to delinquency. Social control theory assumes that all are capable of committing crime, and would if they have a chance, but these bonds are what cause one to behave morally and lawfully.³

One of the most well-known theorists on social control is Travis Hirschi, who states that 'delinquent acts result when an individual's bond to society is weak or broken.'⁴ Prior to Hirschi, but taking a similar stance, Toby stated that everyone has a desire to commit crime but individuals obey the law if they have an investment in something they do not want to lose.⁵ This may be anything from family, jobs, possessions, or in cases of more serious crimes, ones freedom. These investments may be characterised as elements of Hirschi's social control (bonding) theory, as each of the four traits are easily identified as forms of investment.

Travis Hirschi tested his theory in 1969 on 4000 junior and senior high school boys in Contra Costa County, California. His findings supported the theory of social control and the elements of bonding to society, which when weakened or broken, led to delinquency.⁶ He found that the bond of attachment was particularly important, while indicating that the effect of leisure activities had been overestimated by the theory.⁷ However, a study on the relationship between the element of involvement and of delinquency focusing on leisure activities undertaken by adolescents found an indirect influence on the four elements of bonding described by Hirschi.⁸

It found that adolescents who spend free time doing 'legitimate leisure activities' generally do not have time to undertake delinquent acts.⁹ Such activities providing a basis for reduction of youth delinquency are seen positively in Australia as they have seen some success in overseas programs and are said to be 'strategies within a broader context involving...development of values, social support and positive role models' for youth.¹⁰ Further research has found that 'the stronger one's belief in the moral legitimacy of social norms, the lower one's participation in delinquent or criminal activities.'¹¹ This belief appears to come over a period of time, that of growing up and becoming an adult, hence the reason for the decline in criminal activity. These ideas strengthen Hirschi's study, and while he thought the importance of leisure activities had been overestimated, the link is still evident and more appreciated in the more recent study by Cameron and MacDougall.

Why does a decrease in youthful offending occur? In explaining this decrease, Hirschi, along with Gottfredson, branches away from his original theory and uses the notions of 'maturation' and 'self control theory'.¹² From a psychological rather than criminological perspective and using natural ideas of maturation as it comes with age, this idea makes sense. Society has a generalised view of teenagers as having a different view of societal controls - they don't want to obey their parents, teachers or the law and see the rules of society differently to the way they may once adulthood is reached.

It is those aged between 15 to 19 years that are more likely to commit a crime for which they are put through the criminal justice system by police.¹³ In 2005, this group had four times the rate of offending than the rest of the population.¹⁴ The average age for the commission of offences related to property is 15, while once the age of 21 is reached the number of offences begin to fall.¹⁵

Various studies have shown that most 'grow out of crime, particularly the types of crime which most alarm the community, like violence and burglary, and the trends in crime statistics will tend to be reversed.'¹⁶ Once this occurs, previous delinquents, as they start to live more adult lives, exhibit the elements of bonding to society promoting a change in their behaviour. According to Hirschi, there is no evidence that 'change in the strength of the social bond actually accounts for the reformation of juvenile delinquents', but the self control theory supports the inclination to reform as they age.¹⁷

In conclusion, social control (bonding) theory, along with the social notions of maturity and growing up explain the decrease in delinquency as adolescents reach adulthood. While a minority, those who go on to become adult offenders, do not grow out of this stage of delinquency, the majority do and it is this group that makes up the statistics that show that overall, juvenile rates of offending are about double those of adults.¹⁸ Hirschi's research in particular is important in understanding the link between bonding to society and the control it then has over behaviour. Further studies mainly back up Hirschi's findings and the elements of bonding - attachment, commitment, involvement and belief play a vital role in the way adolescents behave and live in society. These bonds are strengthened through knowledge and maturity, causing a decrease in criminal behaviour in adulthood.

1
Hayes, H. Prenzler, T. (ed), (2007) An Introduction to Crime,
Pearson Education Australia, Sydney, p 204.

2
Ibid.

3
Ibid.

4
Ibid.

5
Einstadter, W.J, Henry, S. (2006) Criminological Theory - An
Analysis of Its Underlying Assumptions(2^nd edn),
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Maryland, p 193.

6
Curran, D.J. Renzetti, C.M. (2001) Theories of Crime (2^nd
edn), Allyn & Bacon, Needham Heights, p 148.

7
Ibid, p 149.

8
Ibid, p 150.

9
Ibid.

10
Margaret Cameron and Colin
MacDougall, Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal
Justice, 'No. 165 Crime Prevention Through Sport and Physical
Activity', September 2000.

11
Curran, D.J. Renzetti, C.M. (2001) Theories of Crime (2^nd
edn), Allyn & Bacon, Needham Heights, p 151.

12
Einstadter, W.J, Henry, S. (2006) Criminological Theory - An
Analysis of Its Underlying Assumptions(2^nd edn),
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Maryland, p 195.

13
Australian Institute of Criminology, Australian crime: facts and
figures 2006, Selected offender profiles,
http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/facts/2006/04_selected_offender_profiles.html

14
Ibid.

15
John Walker and Monika Henderson, Trends &
Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 'No. 28 Understanding
Crime Trends in Australia', January 1991

16
Ibid.

17
Einstadter, W.J, Henry, S. (2006) Criminological Theory - An
Analysis of Its Underlying Assumptions(2^nd edn),
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Maryland, p 195.

18
Australian Institute of Criminology, Australian crime: facts and
figures 2006, Selected offender profiles,
http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/facts/2006/04_selected_offender_profiles.html