The Social Control Theory
The social control theory is commonly used in the understanding and reduction of criminal activities. The reason is that it is based on the arguments that being on the right track in line with values, beliefs, and behaviors are essential to fostering a lawful society. Working on the theory means that one has the ethical form of social control over both personal and public issues. The approach also seeks to understand how to control instances of deviance. Violence is a form of social deviance that can be explained using the theory. When studying the behavior in a school setting, the leading cases include shootings, bullying, and violence due to substance use. These cases have increased significantly over the past few decades hence need for control measures. The paper analyses the formal and informal mechanisms of social control for school violence.
Informal Forms Of Control
When enacting control measures, it is essential to first understand the leading causes of school violence. In most cases, the causes include peer pressure, access to weapons, cyber abuses, community and family impact, and substance use. The main informal rules used should depict the aspect of social norms in line with the conduct and expected nature of students' lives. First, there is the socialization measure where students are subjected to long-term processes of inheriting specific values. Primary socialization occurs when individuals learn to relate to family members and acquires attitudes and values that are needed to be part of the family (Stark & Bainbridge 2013). These values are then extended to cover the large social settings in school and other environments. Socialization can be used to control school violence in that when adults resolve violence in ways that are appropriate; children will learn and apply the same actions when similar situations face them. Other agents of socialization include peer groups, teachers and classmates.
Secondly, religion also plays a vital role in the control of violence in that it can be viewed as a form of self-worship of the human community. It is through religion that people learn to practice cohesion and maintain solidarity, moral and norms are enhanced through sets of shared beliefs and individuals define their purposes in life. Various sects hold different doctrines on religion and violence but from the broader view, there is social cohesion among members of the same group. Thirdly, there is the technique of social stability where school environments create elite goals that promote gradual change without threatening individual privileges. The method is most effective when controlling violence that results from substance abuse.
Formal Methods Of Control
According to Straus (2016:135), "the formal methods are formulated and enacted by the institution or the government from a broader perspective." The mechanisms involve law enforcement where there are consequences of deviance. The policy measures that can be set by a learning organization must be comprehensive such that they deal with each cause of violence. Physical surveillance and weapon deterrence can be used to prevent the extreme forms of school violence. In this case, often searches of student lockers and bags are conducted to control the planned incidents from occurring. Enacting the policies also means that the students will bring weapons to school less frequently.
The other measure revolves around school policies that relate to student conduct while in the institution. Violation of these rules results in punishment with the main examples being suspension or expulsion. Currently, learning institutions are also adopting zero-tolerance policies such as declaring their environments to be anti-bullying areas. Other measures include the introduction of instructional programs, counseling, profiling of potentially violent students and mediation.
Conclusion
School-based violence prevention measures should be able to target the causes and the precursors of violent behaviors. However, talking to students is one of the primary methods that can be used before enacting other policies. The reason is that the conversation has the power to validate their feelings on the need to form a school-community environment.
References
Straus, M. A. (2016). Discipline and deviance: Physical punishment of children and violence and other crime in adulthood. Social problems, 38(2), 133-154.
Stark, R., " Bainbridge, W. S. (2013). Religion, deviance, and social control. Routledge.
