to parents, school, and peers. The most important bond is the attachment to parents; the stronger the bond, the less likely the child will engage in delinquent behavior. Next comes the attachment to school. Hirschi found that students who do poorly in school come to dislike it, leading to rejection of authority (teachers) and delinquency.
The individualÆs attachment to parents and school is greater than the bond to peers, so the stronger those bonds, the less influence enjoyed by the peers. Hirschi identified three other bonds that determine behavior: commitment to (or investment in) life, property, and reputation; involvement in social activities, leaving less time for delinquency; belief in societyÆs value system, which is strengthened by living in a common social setting.
Deviance theory concentrates on the individual, and tries to explain why delinquents do what they do. Some take a biological approach, arguing that delinquency arises from genetic makeup. Others examine the effect of social factors on the individual. An offshoot of deviance theor
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