DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY Flashcards
what is the differential association theory?
it proposes that individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques and motives for criminal behaviour through association and interaction with different people.
what type of behaviour do they suggest crime is?
learned
how is offending behaviour learned?
its suggested that offending behaviour is acquired in the same way as any other behaviour through the processes of learning.
who is the offending behaviour usually learned off?
it mostly occurs through interactions with significant others that the child associates with, such as the family and peer group
what are the 2 factors criminality arises from?
learned attitudes towards crime
learning of specific criminal acts
what attitudes of the law are people usually exposed to?
people are exposed to values and attitudes towards the law, some pro-crime, some anti-crime
what exposure of criminal attitudes are more likely to lead someone to offend?
if the number of pro-criminal attitudes outweighs the number of anti-crime attitudes, they will go on to offend
how can we mathematically predict if someone is going to offend?
we can mathematically predict if someone is going to offend if we know the frequency, intensity and duration of which they have been exposed to deviant and non-deviant norms and values
what might offenders also learn when committing crimes?
learn particular techniques
how can criminals learning particular techniques help us to explain why some convicts reoffend?
so many convicts who are released from prison go on to reoffend as they learn specific techniques of offending from other, more experienced criminals that they be eager to put into practice upon their release.
how do offenders learn specific criminal techniques?
the learning may occur through direct observation and imitation or direct tuition from criminal peers.
AO3: how is ‘accounts for all crime’ a strength to the differential association theory of offending?
this explanation is able to account for types of crime within all sectors of society. some types of crime e.g. burglary are clustered within certain inner city, working class communities. But some crimes are more prevalent among more affluent groups in society e.g. white collar crime that may be a feature of middle-class social groups who share deviant norms and values
AO3: how is ‘shifting the focus’ a strength to the differential association theory of offending?
Sutherland was also responsible for shifting the focus. He moved the focus away from early biological accounts of crime e.g. lombrosos atavistic theory, and other that explained offending as being the product of immortality. this theory draws attention to the fact that dysfunctional social circumstances and environments may be more to blame for criminality than dysfunctional people. therefore, it offers a more realistic solution to the problem of crime than eugenics or punishment.
AO3: how is ‘difficult to test’ a limitation to the differential association theory of offending?
although its meant to be a scientific, mathematical framework that predicts future behaviour; it is very hard to see how many pro-criminal attitudes a person has, or has been exposed to. without being able to measure these, it is difficult to know at what point the urge to offend is released, and the criminal career triggered. therefore, it doesn’t provide a satisfactory solution to these issues, undermining the scientific credibility.
AO3: how is ‘individual differences’ a limitation to the differential association theory of offending?
not everyone who is exposed to criminal influences goes on to commit crime. there is a danger of stereotyping individuals who come from impoverished, crime-ridden backgrounds as ‘unavoidably criminal’. this theory tends to suggest that exposure to pro-criminal values is sufficient to produce offending in those who are exposed, and ignores the fact that people might choose not to offend despite such influences.
