The circles of control: Integrating control and situational explanations of crime in the study of adolescents' violent encounters

Traditional criminological perspectives emphasize the relevance of individual and structural level mechanisms in determining individuals' deviant outcomes. However, while most theories focus on either individual or structural determinants of crime, only a few theories discuss the simultaneous and interactive effects of internal and external processes on individuals' criminal behaviors. In an attempt to address this theoretical gap and generate a comprehensive understanding regarding the underlying causes of violent encounters, I offer a theoretical model that integrates individual, structural and situational explanations of crime. Specifically, I suggest that human behaviors are affected by external circles of both formal and informal social controls. While formal social control is composed by official laws that society abides by, informal social controls are the product of an individual's relationships and bonding with their families, peers, and communities that help socialize individuals and bring conformity to norms and laws. These external controls help establish, develop and maintain individual self-control. Together with self control, these circles of control interact and support each other's function throughout the life course and help inhibit individuals' engagement in deviance and crime. These circles of control facilitate also safe environments for people to work, play, and live in by deterring undesired behaviors and monitoring situations that may lead to harmful consequences. However, while some theoretical models suggest that the presence of informal social control impedes the occurrence of situations conducive to crime, my model suggest that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, I am arguing that in some cases, the presence of informal social control mechanisms facilitate opportunities for situations conducive to crime to emerge. However, the ability of informal social control mechanisms to monitor these situations and prevent them from escalating reduces the probability of these situations to result in deviant and violent behaviors.;Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhood (PHDCN) Community and Longitudinal surveys, I test three research hypotheses. First, I hypothesize that individual self control is the product of both familial and communal control mechanisms. Specifically, I suggest that the beneficial effect of parental monitoring practices is enhanced within high collective efficacy neighborhoods. Second, I test the relationships between familial and communal controls and unstructured socializing with peers (i.e. situational motivation to offend). In line with my suggested perspective I hypothesize that parental and communal controls may shape opportunities for unstructured socializing with peers to occur. Finally, I test the simultaneous effects of self, social controls, and situational motivation on violent offending and victimization. I hypothesize that self control, familial attachment and supervision, and neighborhood collective efficacy are all significant predictors of violent encounters. Moreover I hypothesize that unstructured socializing with peers is a positive predictor of violent offending. However, in line with my suggested model, I suspect that neighborhood collective efficacy conditions the effect of unstructured socializing with peers on violent encounters.;Results from a series of multilevel models suggest that (1) family supervision is negatively associated with individual low self control. However, the effect of family supervision on children and youth self control is enhanced within high collective efficacy neighborhoods; (2) living within high collective efficacy neighborhoods supports adolescent's engagement in unstructured socializing with peers; and (3) low self control, familial attachment and supervision, unstructured socializing with peers and neighborhood collective efficacy are all significant predictors of violent behaviors and victimization. However, and in line with the "circles of control" model, I find that unstructured socializing with peers is less likely to result in violent encounters within high collective efficacy neighborhoods. These results are discussed in the context of my proposed model.