ABSTRACT
An extremely important type of deviance dealt with by control balance theory, especially in that it differentiates between males and females, is not usually regarded as deviant by most scholars attempting to measure deviance or compile data concerning gender differences in rates of deviance. It is important, however, to specify exactly how the theory explains the distributions of males and females in the various zones of the control balance continuum. Female rates of "serious" crimes increase with modernization because many females shift from the category of extreme deficit of control toward the right side of the control balance continuum. Control balance theory explains urban effect as a reflection of control deficits that most urban dwellers experience relative to residents of smaller places. Urban lifestyles and the circumstances of city living contribute to an enlarged probability of initial deviance, and for the reasons noted before, deviance tends to escalate into patterned expression.
