Mellom selvkontroll og sosial kontroll: En uttesting av den generelle teorien for kriminalitet på ungdom
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Abstract: In ”A general theory of crime”, Michael R. Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi (1990) presented a theory that criticised the prevailing sociological, psychological, biological and economical models of criminality. They presented an argument in favour of examining the actual definition of criminality instead of criminals, and ended up with “acts of force or fraud undertaken in pursuit of self-interest”.\n\nConsequently, in this theory, most criminal actions are regarded as the result of a drive to attain immediate and short-term fulfillment, and consist of spontaneous, risky actions that the perpetrators often find stimulating, but which require little or no planning. Criminality is thus linked to general antisocial behaviour through sharing the same criteria, rather than regarded as a set of distinct behaviours, each with their own motivation.\n\nThis has important consequences for the study of criminality. Due to the inability of modern positivism to explain generally known and accepted facts about criminality, Gottfredson and Hirschi argued that if we left this substantive positivism we would gain a more accurate description of criminality. They isolated two important factors for criminal behaviour: a. low selfcontrol and b. opportunity. Additionally they found a third factor, gender, which they attributed to differences in parenting styles.\n\nUsing data from the New Bergen-project (1997-1999), where several of the variables in this project deal with low self-control, opportunity and contain demographic data such as gender and age, it was possible to test the general theory of crime empirically. It was decided to test for whether or not low self-control is a predictor for antisocial and criminal behaviour independent of other facts such as sex, age, opportunity and being friends with antisocial people. Additionally we looked into whether or not the effect of low self-control on antisocial and criminal behaviour is moderated by opportunity. Finally, these findings are discussed in light of findings in criminality among people who are diagnosed with ADHD.
Author: Kjetil Fjell
Language: Norwegian
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1549011086