Social Control

Elected officials and the City Hall are having a major impact on the social control in Compton. By creating more business in the community, Compton has also begun to create more jobs for the constituents in the neighborhood as well as a place for them to be able to live, work and play in their community. This is the city's way to increase more social and economic revenue in Compton. By creating these new businesses, the City of Compton has been able to increase the amount of new housing they have made available to their constituents. This control is both economic and social leading to the increase of socialization and living habits in Compton that were not in the city before.

There is a disparaging amount of Compton residents who are unable to vote in the elections that take place and have put the people in power in City Hall and the Mayor’s office. With a large immigrant population as well as a convicted felon population, the majority of voters in Compton are middle class homeowners who are seeking to see the expansion of the city’s economic base. This has created a skewed perception of social control in Compton.

Church involvement is a major maintainer of the social control in Compton. There were several churches on each block from varying denominations that have a strong impact on the social interactions of the people living in Compton. The churches have community gatherings and serve as a bridge between the people in the community and the racial barriers that can pervade Compton’s diverse and multi-ethnic community base.

Judicially, the gang courts are a reflection of the social control being implemented between the sheriffs and the judiciary. Because most of the people being tried in the Compton court are gang affiliates, the gangs have an element of social control also. People in gangs are committing crimes of drugs, theft, murder and other violent crimes. As a result of the over 300 gangs in the city of Compton, the judicial system has responded by having a strong police presence, as well as this issue being one of the main crimes of the court.

The economy is a reflection of social control in Compton also. While violent crime has decreased, the number of theft, burglary and other nonviolent crime has increased in the past months.