Although the term social control has been widely used in numerous scientific fields for a long time, many authors have not yet reached agreement on a general definition. This is partly because the word "control" has different meanings in languages ​​such as French and English. It can mean power, authority, as well as supervision and guardianship. In criminology, the term is used to describe the method used to establish and maintain order in the community. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Many theories of social control have been put forward over the years, and Edward A. Ross was among the first to do so in the late 19th century. In fact, he began developing his theory between 1896 and 1898, when his articles were first published in the American Journal of Sociology. Furthermore, it was also mentioned that the social control theory of crime is a theory of conformity, which means that society can be controlled using certain norms such as socialization, persuasion, and force. According to recent statistics, the number of crimes among young people is increasing and it would be interesting to see whether when controlling influences are weak, more crimes are committed by this particular group. According to recent statistics, from 2017 to 2018, the rate of juvenile delinquency per 1,000 inhabitants went from 5.2 to 5.6. Numerous reasons could be invoked to explain this increase, but as a criminologist it is important to consider the reasons why crimes were committed by this particular group of people. Early Developments on Social Control Introduced as early as 1894, the term "social control" has its origins in philosophical literary works. As discussed by Robert F. Meier, one of the first to mention social control was Edward A. Ross through a series of articles and a book published in 1901. Using a social-psychological approach, he attempted to define social control theory from the point of individual view and did not mention the conditions of the groups he was talking about. Despite being in the infancy of the topic, the sociologist was able to identify that social control theory also means conformity. He believed that groups were responsible for an individual's behavior and that there were 23 different mechanisms that could be used to achieve this. Furthermore, he states that factors such as religion, morals, and education could influence an individual and ultimately act as a means of social control. Furthermore, shortly after the publication of Edward A. Ross's book on social control, another American sociologist came forward with another literary work that contains some similarities. Indeed, Charles Cooley expressed his own views on the subject and seemed to share a theme with the first author. Both agreed that a primary group is ultimately responsible for the social order. Using a parable, he clarifies his ideas: «A well-ordered community is like a ship in which every officer and sailor has confidence in his companions and in the captain, and is well accustomed to carrying out his duty without anything more than ordinary complaints. . It all hangs together and is subject to reason in the form of long-tested rules of navigation and discipline. Virtue is a system and men perform heroic deeds as part of daily work and without self-awareness. But suppose the ship falls to pieces – say on an iceberg – then the orderly whole is shattered and officers, sailors and passengers find themselves struggling disorderly in the water. Rational control and control are gonevirtue that is habit, everyone is thrown back into their undisciplined impulses. Survival depends not on wisdom or goodness – as so much is the case in a social system – but on ruthless force, and the best may probably perish.” Thus, Charles Cooley implied that social bonds are essential to maintaining order within the community. When such bonds cease to exist or are broken, new ones must be created. Considered one of the most influential criminologists of the 20th century, Edwin Sutherland developed the theory of differential association. The latter explains that delinquency is due to "regulatory conflict". This would mean that factors such as race and family status, whether or not the youth comes from a broken home, would have a direct impact on whether or not the individual is at risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent. Considered as the only form of guidance since ancient times, religion still has a major impact on the functioning of modern society. Edward A. Ross defined it as "the belief in an ideal bond between the members of a society and the feelings that arise as a result of that belief." Secondly come moral norms. Comparable to religious ones, they also touch the conscience of the individual. For example, George Gurvitch and Wilbert E. Moore agreed that collective values, ideals, and spiritual meanings helped shape social control. Finally, courtesy and good manners are also norms. While it demonstrates the nature and integrity of an individual, being courteous actually happens when you are in a group and around other people. Different religions such as Hinduism, Christianity and Muslim coexist in Mauritian society. Although all these rules have been established to regulate how a society offers protection and is considered safe, being religious, moral and courteous towards each other in a community is not enough and requires an additional element which is the law. An American legal scholar by the name of Roscoe Pound explored the formal aspect of social control. In fact, as recalled by Robert F. Meier, he mixed the points of view of sociologists with his jurisprudential studies. However, instead of implying that social control was imposed by society, he focused his attention on the word “control.” He stated that the law had an important role to play in social control and that it should be imposed by the state. Additionally, Travis Hirschi has had a notable impact on the field with his social control theory. His book 'Causes of Delinquency', published in 1969, focuses more particularly on the topic of delinquency. According to Michael D. Wiatrowski, David B. Griswold, and Mary K. Roberts, the sociologist stated that delinquency was inevitable due to human nature and then proceeded to explain conformity instead. He identified four main elements that could explain the latter: Attachment: this would include the relationships a child forms at school, with his parents and with peers. The bond that exists between them would allow the young person to behave better socially, as he will be influenced by role models. Commitment: This is based on whether a young person will focus on his or her achievements, especially educationally, and therefore refrain from a delinquent lifestyle. Examples are working to get good grades to be able to go to college. Those who do not have these goals in mind and get involved in activities such as dating and smoking have been shown to be more likely to participate in criminal activity. Involvement: This is related to commitment and how involved a young person is in their life goals. . For example, the amount of time a teenager dedicates to studying and,.