Travis Hirschi was born in Rockville, Utah on April 15th, 1935. He is an American criminologist, best known for his social control (bond) theory on juvenile delinquency and self-control theory on crime. Hirschi received a PhD. in sociology at the University of California, Berkeley in 1968 and was a professor at several universities prior to becoming a staff member at the University of Arizona in 1981. He is also a well-known author/co-author of two books.
Causes of Delinquency (1969), had a profound influence in criminology in the following three decades. In this book, Hirschi argued that delinquency is able to be explained by the absence of social bonds. Social attachments, involvement in conventional activities, acceptance of social norms, and recognition of the moral validity of law will most likely prevent delinquency.
A General Theory of Crime (1990), was a book he wrote with American criminologist, Michael R. Gottfredson. In this book, they defined crime as "acts of force or fraud undertaken in pursuit of self-interest." Hirschi and Gottfredson argued that all crime is able to be explained as a combination of criminal opportunity and low self-control. They hypothesized that a youth's level of self-control, which is strongly influenced by how they are raised, stabilizes by the age of eight. Because of this, they identify parenting as the most decisive factor in determining the chances that a person will commit crimes. For example, children raised with neglect or abuse, will more likely commit criminal acts. However, children raised in homes where punishment was a result of bad behavior, will less likely commit criminal acts.
Causes of Delinquency (1969), had a profound influence in criminology in the following three decades. In this book, Hirschi argued that delinquency is able to be explained by the absence of social bonds. Social attachments, involvement in conventional activities, acceptance of social norms, and recognition of the moral validity of law will most likely prevent delinquency.
A General Theory of Crime (1990), was a book he wrote with American criminologist, Michael R. Gottfredson. In this book, they defined crime as "acts of force or fraud undertaken in pursuit of self-interest." Hirschi and Gottfredson argued that all crime is able to be explained as a combination of criminal opportunity and low self-control. They hypothesized that a youth's level of self-control, which is strongly influenced by how they are raised, stabilizes by the age of eight. Because of this, they identify parenting as the most decisive factor in determining the chances that a person will commit crimes. For example, children raised with neglect or abuse, will more likely commit criminal acts. However, children raised in homes where punishment was a result of bad behavior, will less likely commit criminal acts.
In the video to the right, Travis Hirschi discusses in great detail about his past, education, research, books, work with other researchers, and how he came about the Social Bond Theory. |
|