The term “social control theory” refers to a school of sociological thought that looks into what motivates people to engage in criminal activity in society. The above theory holds that people’s actions are shaped by their social environment. If a person feels connected to their society or to influential members of that society, they are more likely to behave in a beneficial and constructive way (Schreck & Hirschi, 2009). A person’s propensity to engage in destructive behaviors like illegal activity increases when they are isolated from their social circle. Parents and teachers can play an essential role in the development of social controls in children by teaching them to link positive characters with rewards and negative behaviors with punishments. The song “A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash is an excellent example of how this theory can be applied.
The theory’s central tenet is that criminality and dishonesty occur whenever a person’s connection to society is frayed or severed. These are some of the lyrics that illustrate this hypothesis:
Seems I had to fight my whole life through
Some gal would giggle and I’d turn red
And some guy’d laugh and I’d bust his head
I tell you, life ain’t easy for a boy named Sue (Cash, 1969)
Since the male character’s name is “Sue,” a common name for females, the character in the song is compelled to lead a life of crime to safeguard himself. He is violent and enraged, easily agitated by trivial matters, and has vowed to kill his father for naming him Sue if he ever encounters the man in question.
Due to his name, Sue has a tenuous connection to the larger community. Attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief are the four pillars of the theoretical connection to society. Because he believes that his life is a shame and that he must fight to defend himself against those who belittle him, the character in this song does not consider these elements to be factors that could steer him away from criminal activity.
References
Cash, J. (1969). A Boy Named Sue [Recorded by J. Cash]. California.
Schreck, C. J., & Hirschi, T. (2009). Social Control theory. 21st Century Criminology: A Reference Handbook, 305–311.