Final answer:
Formal Control (C) refers to the regulation and enforcement of norms by official bodies such as the police force and judiciary. It encompasses formal sanctions, both negative and positive, and is essential for maintaining social order.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing the mechanisms of maintaining order within a society, we refer to social control carried out by authorized agents such as police officers, judges, school administrators, and employers. This is known as Formal Control (C). Formal control is the method by which official bodies enforce norms and laws, utilizing formal sanctions which may include both punishments and rewards. Common forms of formal control involve issuing fines, such as a speeding ticket for a driver, or a judge sentencing a criminal. Societies use formal control to uphold laws and to ensure that values are followed, thus maintaining social order. While informal controls arise in social interactions and are enforced through personal judgment or community pressure, formal controls are based on written rules and laws that are officially sanctioned and applied by designated authority figures.