Hagan, John: Power-Control Theory

Brenda Sims Blackwell

Power-control theory was developed during a period that highlighted the neglect of women and girls in theories of delinquency and crime. Aimed to explain the gender gap in delinquency and potential changes in this gap, John Hagan and his colleagues generated a theoretical model that combines elements of class and power to identify how levels of patriarchy within households impact the differences in delinquency between daughters and sons. The theoretical model ultimately links parental supervision, particularly differential supervision of daughters and sons by mothers, to power differentials between parents. Subsequently, these supervision differences are linked to gender differences in perceptions of risk in the contemplation of delinquent acts and preferences for risk-taking. Finally, these differences in risk perceptions and preferences generate the gender difference in delinquency. This entry identifies the contextual period in which power-control theory was developed and provides a summary of the structural underpinnings of the theory. Highlighted ...

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