Short Notes on Self-Concept and Containment Theory of Crime

Short Notes on Self-Concept and Containment Theory of Crime

Walter Reckless, the propounded of this theory (1967: 522), has said that the important question that must be answered in explaining criminal behaviour is why, given the alternatives of law-abiding and law-violating behaviour, some people turn to one or the other behaviour.

He suggests that self-concept is the key factor in explaining the choice among alternatives of behaviour. A favourable self-concept directs an individual towards law-abiding behaviour, and an unfavourable self-concept directs him towards delinquent behaviour.

Reckless has further said that there are two important aspects of control: inner control and outer control, and that depending upon the balance of these control systems; the individual can take either a deviant or a conformist route.

His assumption is that strong inner and reinforcing outer containment constitutes isolation against normative deviancy, that is, violation of the socio-legal conduct norms.

In 1955, Reckless and Dinitz studied white ‘good’ boys (who, their teachers thought, would not get into trouble with the law) of sixth grade of about 12 years age, selected from high delinquency areas.

The schedule, administered in the boys’ homes, contained 50 items designed to measure self-concept. Likewise, in 1956, they interviewed 101 ‘bad’ boys (who, their teachers thought, would become delinquents) and studied their self-concept.

They concluded, on the basis of this study, that a good self-concept is evidence of favourable socialisation and the development of a ‘strong inner self’ (self-control, well-developed super-ego, high frustration tolerance, resistance to diversions, ability to find substitute satisfactions, tension-reducing rationalisations, etc.) which directs a person towards middle-class values.

Poor self-concept is indicative of unfavourable socialisation and ‘weak inner direction’, which in turn does not deflect the boy from bad companions and street corner society, does not enable him to embrace middle-class values, and gives him an awareness of being cut off from upward movement in the legitimate opportunity system.

The evaluation of this theory has pointed out that though this is the only research by sociologists in the area of delinquency which handles variables of personality and self, nevertheless the measure of self-concept has been questioned and the lack of control groups has been noted.