The nature of self-control theories and a possible explanation for what drives individuals to commit crime stems from research conducted by Michael Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi in 1990. Initially, early ideas from Hirschi's research suggested that maintaining self-control was the result of family ties, study, work, and/or religious and personal reasons. Hirschi concluded that "the main 'cause' of low self-control therefore appears to be ineffective child-rearing" (Lilly et al., p. 97). However, by 1990, Gottfredson and Hirschi had "abandoned the idea that continued social obligations protect against illegal involvement in favor of the idea that self-control, internalized early in life, determines who will fall prey to the seductions of crime” (Lilly, Cullen and Ball, 2011, pp. 121-122). Gottfredson and Hirschi's new research suggests that committing a crime can be a stress-relieving activity that produces euphoric effects in some people. They note that crimes such as theft of cars, money, jewelry, and other items of high monetary value “provide short-term gratification” and “relief from situational aggravations” (Lilly et al. , p. 122). The important point, however, is that Gottfredson and Hirschi supported the idea that criminology theorists essentially ignore the facts about "the nature of crime uncovered by empirical research" (Lilly et al., p. 122). They further claim that there is a correlation between criminal behavior and negative personality traits such as alcohol, drug and tobacco use, disregard for traffic laws (and most laws in general). ) and perverse sexual behavior. Along the same lines, Gottfredson and Hirschi also indicate that criminals generally perform poorly in academic studies, as well as in job tasks...... middle of paper. The sessions will also have a direct correlation when it comes to social interaction and relationships with others. “When this happens,” they assert, “social bonds can develop, social capital can be produced, and constraints previously absent from an offender's life can become defining” (Lilly et al., p. 405). ). Laub and Sampson emphasize “the importance of informal social ties and connections to society at all ages throughout the lifespan” (Lilly et al., p. 406) — in contrast to the research of Gottfredson and Hirschi, which focus on a single target demographic: young children. It should be noted, however, that social control in an informal context depends on the connections one develops with others throughout life. Works Cited Lilly, JR, Cullen, FT and Ball, RA (2011). Criminological theory: context and consequences. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.