It is constructed to clarify how or why individuals obey the rules and abstain from doing illegal actions (Hirschi 1969). Social Bond Theory, founded by sociologist Travis Hirschi in 1969 is a significant principle.
This theory generally argues that Anyone and everyone can commit a crime but his/her allegiance to society prevents him/her from doing that. Central Components of Social Bond Theory include Attachment, commitment, involvement and belief.
This keeps in line all those molecules so that no one commits a crime. If the bonds are weak or broken, people will behave in ways that transgress societal norms.
Our Relational Link
Attachment: Emotional bond formed by those who experience the connection of family, friends, caregivers and members of their community. This bond is bonded with care respect and love. Someone close to others is unlikely to cause harm through violations/emissions of this sort.
An easy link would be to a child who loves and respects his parents. At the core of this bond or connection is a child who wants to do well for their parents, follow in the footsteps of what was proposed by their parents and try to make them proud.
Similarly, if we are concerned about what others may think of us, then chances are that we will abide by the rules so as not to let them down. Now if someone does not feel any connection to others then he. she will be less concerned about hurting them or stepping on the toes of society.
Responsibility Contribution to One’s Society
Single most important area (Commitment) Social Bond Theory This means everything a person has put in their life, whether it is education, job or relationships.
The thinking is that people who’ve achieved much to be where they are, at this moment in their lives would not take a chance on losing it all by doing something illegal.
Here is the example: A person, who has been doing studies to achieve a fine job. The characteristics of someone who has worked very hard to be successful and will not want to let it go by the shoulder for a brush with the law.
Commitment is the protector it keeps you safe, preventing challenges that are vile behaviours because the cost to pay may be too high.
Commitment, in trials and life for kids might be as true as excelling at school or showing up for your sport or music practice. They take these as productive exercises to accomplish their aims which results likeliness of indulging in any bad habit.
A person with few material possessions or little investment in their life may feel as if they have nothing to lose, and this situation can be a breeding ground for crime.
Involvement, Keeping involved through positive endeavours
Involvement: reflects the time spent participating in socially approved activities. The idea is basically: stay busy… doing good things like going to school, playing sports, helping your community and you won’t have time for bad stuff!
Positive activities not only deter away from the road to hell, but they also provide others with the same motivations. Together with the Reserve Bank of Australia, the importance of keeping young people from being idle is because idle hands make the devil part of its job is to ensure that individuals who want work, find a less boring way to earn it. If you are caught up in your books, or a game of basketball, then you will not be fighting, stealing or doing drugs.
However, our communities also orchestrate programs such as after-school clubs, sports leagues and community service projects. This in turn keeps young people occupied with something positive and potentially reduces the time they would spend up to no good.
Confidence in System
The fourth bond in Social Bond Theory is Belief. Concept; The amount a person believes in the rules of society. It seems like whenever people perceive the rules as fair and thus deserve to be followed, people conform more to them.
In this case, if a person thinks that stealing is wrong, they will be less likely to steal regardless of whether they believe that the act threatens harm and/or they think that someone always would find out. It is with this moral compass that their actions are led. However, if someone does not think the rules are important or fair, well then they talk back to you and do not obey.
What a person believes in is determined by many things such as family, religion, school and culture. This influences people to know what is right and wrong. The more people believe society protects them and serves their advantages, the easier they conform to its rules.
The Harsh Reality of Weak or Broken Bonds
Having learned the four bonds, we understand how they interact to keep people on the good road. Strong bonds make us more likely to act in ways that are beneficial to our well-being and which benefit society at large.
When these bonds are weak or absent, the individual is less likely to feel a sense of belonging and more willing to engage in deviant behaviour.
If someone does not have a close-knit family (attachment is weak), they do not care about their future (commitment is weak), they have too much free time on their hands in which to get into trouble (involvement is weak) or if he/she believes that society’s rules are stupid, then obviously the person will be more likely to break the law. For this reason, Social Bond Theory is commonly employed to explain why certain people would commit crimes while others would not.
Examples of Social Bond Theory in Real Life
We should take into consideration some examples (containing actual real-life events) to demonstrate how Social Bond Theory works:
Student Busy with school, on-campus organizations: This student mechanism, that is they are heavily involved in on-campus activities. They have no time to be bad, as they are busy studying, attending sports or hanging out with good friends.
This sense of agency helps them to act wisely in their lives, and a doze of dependence on family members and teachers provides comfort when things get rough.
Someone who is not connected to others (e.g., a lonely young person who has little family or friend support). If they are not attached to any high stakes, their behaviour might become more careless about how others perceive them.
Then there is the risk of engaging in risky or criminal behaviours, particularly if they are not involved in any positive activities, or worse believing that what society says goes.
Invested in their career(looks like someone coming from their job): This person has been paying his dues, and building a successful career. These are people who have something to lose and nothing to gain, so they certainly won’t try their hand at a life of crime which could threaten everything. The loyalty to their coworkers and town, as well as the assurance that a certain way is the right way to behave, keep them in line.
Social Bonds Preventing Crime
Social Bond Theory allows us to get a better understanding of why crime occurs. When we create supportive relationships between individuals in society, crime decreases. This is the reason schools, communities and governments invest in programs around educating people, creating employment opportunities and promoting relationships.
For instance, after-school programs offer a haven for youth to keep them engaged in constructive activities. The training programs, especially job-related courses, allow time for individuals to invest in the promise of their future while strengthening the resolve toward a life based on following the law. Mentoring programs forge relationships between youth and adults around caring ages, which builds attachment bonds.
We should be providing spaces for people to build relationships with one another, thus making life more secure and comfortable for all of humanity.
Final Thoughts on Social Bonds
People follow the rules and avoid criminality: Social Bond Theory It is in these connections to society that we can understand the bonds—attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief that lead people to act.
These kinds of bonds seem to help people make better decisions. So when the people are weak, they will perhaps more frequently break the law.
When we know how Social Bond Theory works, in this case: through the relationships in which people live, positive activity pursuit and future investment support; it enables us to build a better society with everyone.
Whether it is family, school, work or community these bonds that bind us together are that which remind individuals of their place in society and the power of hope.
