Power Control Theory

In this paper I will describe my family environment based on Hagan’s Power- Control Theory, I will explain paternalistic and egalitarian families and which behavior my family is affected by. When comparing Hagan’s Power-Control Theory an individual wonders about their environment and how it affects there family. Hagan created a critical feminist model that used gender differences to explain the onset of criminology (Siegel, Criminology: The Core, Fourth Edition , 2011).

His view described crime and delinquency rates with two factors class position the power and family functions the control (Siegel, Criminology: The Core, Fourth Edition , 2011). My family environment is almost different from most. In my household I would say our class position is a mix between under and middle class. The breadwinner within my house is my mother meaning I’m in a single-parent household. I come from a very strong family oriented surrounding and my values and belief has carried on from when I was a child to now. Even though I’m in a single parent household family members were always there to help if help was needed.

I was blessed with the luxury of my mother and father providing me with everything I ever needed whether they were together or not. They have always supported my decisions whether right or wrong. I believe that even though I was in a single-parent household my mother gave plenty of ground rules and responsibilities to follow. I never steered into deviant or violent behavior I always had and still have love and support from my family no matter what. Paternalistic families are the families in which a father takes the traditional role being the breadwinner (Siegel, Criminology: The Core, Fourth Edition , 2011).

The mother on the other hand remains home and does the domestic labor of cooking and cleaning. Young boys growing up in households like this tend to often steer out of control because they have more freedom and less “parenting”. Young girls are less likely to steer out of control because they have the view of what there mother does and that often influences them to be obedient in a way. Egalitarian families are when a mother and father share similar roles and positions of power within the household and workplace (Siegel, Criminology: The Core, Fourth Edition , 2011).

Young girls have more freedom and lack parental control they violate law and often their behavior reflects on younger siblings. Hagan believed that young girls engage in adult status behavior rather than deviant (Siegel, Criminology: The Core, Fourth Edition , 2011). Hagan also suggested that single parent household children are more likely to deviate and have bad behavior due to an absent father (Siegel, Criminology: The Core, Fourth Edition , 2011). I believe that some of what Hagan suggested is true; on the other hand because I come from an egalitarian family I think other wise.

I believe being in a single-parent household you tend to have more responsibility especially when other siblings are involved. Being an older sibling to tend to want to be that role model for your young brothers and sisters in a positive way you never want them to deviate or steer out of control and go on a negative path. When comparing Hagan’s Power-Control Theory an individual wonders about their environment and how it affects there family. As you can see the Power-Control Theory Hagan created holds some truth. I believe that its “different strokes for different folks” all people react to their family environments differently.