Social harms such as addiction, violence, divorce, juvenile delinquency, and marginalization represent some of the most pressing challenges of contemporary societies. These phenomena not only pose a serious threat to public order and social security but may also generate a cycle of recurring crime and widespread deviance. Analyzing such issues within the framework of criminological theories provides a scientific foundation for developing effective strategies to control and reduce them. The present study aims to examine the mechanisms for controlling social harms based on prominent criminological perspectives, including Merton’s Strain Theory, Sutherland and Akers’ Social Learning Theory, Hirschi’s Social Control Theory, Becker’s Labeling Theory, as well as critical and feminist approaches. The research methodology employed in this study is descriptive–analytical, relying on data collected through documentary and library-based methods.The findings indicate that Strain Theory emphasizes reducing socio-economic inequalities and creating legitimate opportunities as structural measures to control social harms; Social Learning Theory highlights the importance of reforming social environments and promoting positive behavioral models; Social Control Theory underlines strengthening family, educational, and community bonds as preventive mechanisms; Labeling Theory stresses the avoidance of stigmatization and the provision of conditions for social reintegration; and critical criminological perspectives call for broader structural reforms aimed at achieving social justice and eliminating systemic discrimination.The results suggest that no single theory is sufficient to address the complexity of social harms, and their effective control requires an integrated and multidimensional approach. This means that structural, cultural, and institutional measures must operate alongside legal and penal instruments. Ultimately, the study concludes that criminology, through its diverse theoretical frameworks, plays a pivotal role in designing preventive policies and formulating comprehensive strategies to mitigate and control social harms.