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  • Essay / Social Bond Theory Paper - 2060

    While most theories tend to ask why someone would engage in delinquent behavior, social bond theory asks why some people are not delinquent (Thompson, Bynum 2009). The program asks the same question: why would a minor participate in gang activity. According to the authors of the theory, there are four aspects of the social bond which explain why a minor would or would not participate in delinquency (Thompson, Bynum 2009). The first aspect is attachment. It focuses on the connection people feel towards each other and shows how much they care for each other. If a juvenile has attachments to good people and truly cares about them, he or she is more likely not to join a gang (Thompson, Bynum 2009). The next element is commitment, which concerns a person's reputation and success. If a juvenile has worked hard to achieve good social status and is successful, this serves as protection against delinquency. The successful miner does not want to lose everything he has obtained or achieved, so he is more likely to comply with the law (Thompson, Bynum 2009). Implication is another aspect of the theory. Involvement is related to the time and effort a person devotes to a legitimate activity. A person is less likely to engage in gang activity or another type of delinquency if they have expended a lot of effort in conventional activity (Thompson, Bynum 2009). The GREAT program recognizes this and strongly encourages youth to participate in sports, extracurricular activities, and after-school programs to keep student involvement at a high level. It also keeps miners busy, with less chance of roaming the streets looking for trouble (Personal interview conducted March 27, 2014). The final element Hirschi put forward was belief, which asks whether a person has a good view of good morals and societal norms. These can range from