Essay - Power Control the Article 'Family Structure, Power-control Theory, and Deviance:...

Power Control

The article "Family Structure, Power-Control Theory, and Deviance: Extending Power-control Theory to Include Alternate Family Forms" (2003) by Kristin Bates, Chris*****pher Bader, and F. Carson Mencken (2003, 170-190) in Western Criminology Review used data from a survey conducted on 534 persons to examine the effects of including a complex measure ***** family structure in a power-control model. Results indicate that family structure has an effect on patriarchy and instrumental control and ***** an attitudinal measure of patriarchy allows for more model and theoretical complexity than structural measures of patriarchy.

The paper explains that power-***** theory begins with the assumption that mo*****rs act as the primary agents of socialization in the family. In households where ***** mother and father have relatively similar levels of power at work, or what are called "balanced households," mothers will be less likely ***** differentially exert control upon their daughters. Thus, in these balanced *****, both sons and daughters ***** have similar ***** of control placed upon them regard*****g the risks ***** benefits of engaging in deviant behavior. The authors note that this l*****e of reasoning suggests that ***** households will experience fewer gender differences in deviant behavior. Power-control ********** further assume that ***** where mothers and fathers have dissimilar levels of power ***** the work place, or so-called "unbalanced households," are more "patriarchal" in their attitudes regarding gender roles. ***** such households, parents will place greater levels of control upon daughters than upon sons. Therefore, daughters will develop attitudes unfavorable towards deviance—higher ***** of perceived risk and fewer ***** benefits for engaging in deviant *****s. Thus, in ***** ***** households, the *****ory predicts significant gender differences in deviant behavior, with male children be*****g more likely than females to engage in deviant acts.

The results of this study suggest certain practices can be implemented to control ***** and delinquent ***** from power ***** issues. For example, there may be a new dem***** emerging ***** early intervention programs that target high-risk children and ***** families. Programs that support children ***** families, in general, may be useful in decreas*****g delinquency. According to this *****, both single-mother and single-father households show lower levels of instrumental control than two parent households—in other words, a decreased ability to monitor *****. In turn, high ***** of instrumental control were linked to high levels ***** perceived risk ***** children and lower levels of deviance directly. This suggests ***** single ***** families need more help *****ing ***** *****. If levels of instrumental ***** or monitoring could be increased in these high-risk households, then ***** of deviance should decrease. Formal policies that support "all" ***** through parenting classes to explain the importance of consistent monitoring or resources designed to increase the ease ***** ***** would be consistent with this *****ory and these findings.

Second, there has been a resurgence of pro-patriarchal sentiments in the U.S., as seen through such movements as the Promise Keepers and the National Fatherhood Initiative. The implication of these movements must be evaluated with respect ***** ***** theories as