Crj 102 assignment prompt

Question

Think back to the informal social control exercise from week 2. Hirschi believed strong social bonds made people less likely to commit a crime. The components of a social bond include attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. Please describe each of the components of the social bond and explain how each applies to your relationship to the changing laws around marijuana and your personal use (or non-use). How can you be attached, committed, involved, and believe in the use of a mind altering substance that was once illegal and is now nearly legal? 

Use your personal life as the sources for attachment, commitment, involvement and belief. You do not have to tell me if you use marijuana, drink alcohol, or take other drugs. Since this is a personal paper, I just want you to use your own life to see where this behavior (marijuana use) may fit in, all at the same time we are undergoing a social and cultural change around the legality of marijuana in the United States. No outside sources required, but please cite all course material used. SHow that you understnad the theory.

Answer 1

Travis Hirschi's theory on social control is an attempt to answer the question "Why do people NOT commit crimes?" The theory answers that question by explaining that a person is less likely to commit a crime if they are feeling a strong attachment (bond) to their community because those who are more connected to their communities (whether a family, religious group, friendship network, etc.) are more likely to have a strong attachment, commitment, involvement, and shared beliefs with the members of their community.

To answer the question, think about the reasons why you would or would not smoke marijuana. Now, think of which groups you belong to which are very important to you. Is it your family? friends? religious group? something else? What do you think about if the people who matter the most were to find out that you did or did not smoke marijuana?

What attachments do you have that would contribute to your reasons to smoke or not smoke marijuana?

Who are you committed to that would make you more likely to conform?

What involvement would you be afraid to loose by your decision to smoke or not smoke marijuana?

Do you believe smoking pot is good or bad? Where do you think those beliefs came from?