The Social Bond Theory

The social bond theory written by Travis Hirschi (Belknap, 2007) focuses on what motivates people to obey laws. His theory focuses on four categories of social bonds that prevent delinquency. These categories are attachment, commitment, involvement and belief. These four categories can also be used to explain why young girls become juvenile delinquents. Beginning with attachment, this population of girls (and boys) experience mother-daughter relational problems. Object-relations theory, which was developed by Margaret Mahler (Archer, L., Grascia, A., 2005), emphasizes interpersonal relationships, primarily in the family and especially between mother and child. This theory forms the basis of much thinking about the way people develop their

This is very common today in Hispanic families. The double standard is very much enforced, where the brothers have extensive freedom and girls are to stay close to home if not in the home. Their expectations of the future usually are grim. Father’s expectations of their daughters are that they cook, clean house and care for babies, and to serve the males in the family. Girls find themselves in a home situation where the value of her gender is much less than that of her brother. This creates very strong emotions and at the same time destroys self-esteem. All the while a girl is told by her mother: this is the way it is, accept it. How can she accept such a cultural gender value like that when all around her are the signs of equality? Other girls go to college, drive cars, live independently, and even date. This is a major contributing factor of why gangs are so attractive. Gangs offer equality. Gangs offer her an opportunity to prove self-worth and then actually get rewarded for her performance. These actions are of negative behavior and the rewards (acceptance, respect) are positive, better than family

(Film from CCj410) Children who have joined gangs and have found some sort of refuge there, in areas such as Compton California, have been deemed by society that these children are not worth saving. These children are as young as ten years old. The parents are not held accountable either. Social institutions (police departments, social services, the court system, and the school system) have deemed them unworthy to intervene. It seems that our society almost encourages this type of behavior on the one hand and on the other makes minimal efforts to prevent it. On a political level, gangs could be viewed as a (Sanchez, R., 2000) multibillion dollar business for courts, prisons and the police departments. Why would anyone want to be rid of them, as they provide job security for police departments? Most throw away children who are minorities. Maybe they are viewed as less valuable then the dominant ethnic group of our