Revisiting the role of self-control in Situational Action Theory. (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kroneberg, Clemens; Schulz, Sonja
• Other Names: Hirtenlehner Helmut guest-editor.; Reinecke Jost guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: European journal of criminology. Volume 15:Number 1(2018)
• Page Start: 56
• Page End: 76
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: Deterrence -- dual processes -- interactions -- moral filter -- morality; Criminology -- Europe -- Periodicals; Crime -- Europe -- Periodicals; 364.05
• DOI: 10.1177/1477370817732189
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-3708

Abstract

Wikström's Situational Action Theory of Crime Causation (SAT) aims at providing a comprehensive account of the action-generating mechanisms that underlie rule-breaking. Paying tribute to the longstanding criminological interest in self-control, SAT also entails a new view of this concept and its role in crime causation. SAT claims that morality is the more fundamental determinant of rule-breaking and that self-control should become relevant only when actors enter a process of deliberation on whether or not to break a rule. Our contribution is twofold: theoretically, we discuss the role of self-control in SAT and derive previously untested implications; empirically, we evaluate these implications based on data from a large German panel study and thereby advance our understanding of when and how self-control matters for crime and delinquency.