Social control theory is a criminological theory that suggests that people's behavior is influenced by social bonds and attachments, such as family, school, and other social institutions. According to this theory, individuals are less likely to engage in criminal or deviant activities if they have strong bonds and attachments to these social structures. These bonds can be characterized by four elements: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. Attachment refers to emotional ties and relationships with others, commitment refers to personal investments in conventional activities, involvement refers to time spent in conventional activities, and belief refers to adherence to social norms and values. Social control theory argues that when these social bonds are weak or broken, individuals are more likely to engage in criminal behavior.
