Power Control Theory Essay

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Question #1

Power-control theory of crime combines Marxist conflict theory, social control theory and feminism and was theorized by Canadian criminologist, John Hagan. A prominent theme throughout the power-control theory is that social power in society is predominantly patriarchal, or male dominated. Deutschmann (2007) identifies five elements of the power-control theory: (1) The social class system determines the hierarchal ranking of individuals in terms of social power; (2) The class position of a parent in the occupational structure is reflected in her or his relative power within the family class structure; (3) The family structure and the social class structure are patriarchal and is reflected in the reality that women are subjected …show more content…

If women in the family are held to more social control, and men hold more social power, these practices are further replicated, allowing boys more freedom, and forcing more rigid boundaries and control over girls. More freedom provided to male youth could explain why the rate of total crime for male youths is higher than female youths, as the opportunity for delinquency is much higher for males than females. However, the egalitarian families who raise their children with equal levels of supervision could explain why female youth delinquency (total crime rate) still exists, although at significantly lower rate than that of male youths. The same concept applies for the differences between adult male and female total rates of crime, which are similar to the rate differences between male and female youths. Power-control theory could also explain the differences in total crime rates between adults and youths. This theory identifies family roles as a major factor in determining delinquency. As people age, they begin to take on greater responsibilities within the family. An example is a youth eventually aging and becoming a parent to a child. That individual, no matter the gender, now has greater responsibilities such as providing for and raising the child. With more responsibility, comes less opportunity for delinquency, explaining the lower crime rates amongst adults compared to

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