**L7 - Differential Association Theory Flashcards
what does the DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY PROPOSE?
The DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY PROPOSES that OFFENDING DEPENDS on the NORMS/VALUES of the OFFENDER’S SOCIAL GROUP
OFFENDING is MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR where the SOCIAL GROUP VALUES DEVIANT BEHAVIOUR
what happens when a person is SOCIALISED INTO A SOCIAL GROUP?
When a person is SOCIALISED INTO A SOCIAL GROUP, they will be EXPOSED TO THE GROUP’S NORMS and VALUES TOWARDS THE LAW
Some groups will be PRO CRIME, some will be ANTI CRIME. SUTHERLAND argues that IF THE NUMBER OF PRO CRIMINAL ATTITUDES that a PERSON COMES INTO CONTACT WITH OUTWEIGH the NUMBER OF ANTI CRIMINAL ATTITUDES then THEY WILL BECOME AN OFFENDER
The LEARNING PROCESS is the SAME whether the person is LEARNING CRIMINALITY or CONFORMITY TO THE LAW. LEARNING can OCCUR THROUGH IMITATION, VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT, DIRECT REINFORCEMENT or DIRECT TUITION FROM CRIMINAL PEERS
DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION and PREDICTING CRIMINALITY?
DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION suggests that it SHOULD BE POSSIBLE to MATHEMATICALLY PREDICT HOW LIKELY it is that SOMEONE WILL COMMIT CRIME, if we have KNOWLEDGE OF THE FREQUENCY, INTENSITY and DURATION of which they have been EXPOSED TO CRIMINAL and NON CRIMINAL NORMS AND VALUES
what else might POTENTIAL OFFENDERS LEARN from BEING EXPOSED TO PRO CRIMINAL ATTITUDES?
IN ADDITION to being EXPOSED TO PRO CRIMINAL ATTITUDES, the POTENTIAL OFFENDER may also LEARN PARTICULAR TECHNIQUES FOR COMMITTING CRIME. These might include HOW TO PICK LOCKS, HOTWIRE A CAR etc
DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY EXPLAINS HOW CRIME can SPREAD AMONG SPECIFIC SOCIAL GROUPS and COMMUNITIES
SUTHERLAND claimed that the REASON WHY REOFFENDING RATES ARE SO HIGH is that its REASONABLE TO ASSUME that WHILST IN PRISON, INMATES WILL LEARN SPECIFIC OFFENDING TECHNIQUES from MORE EXPERIENCED CRIMINALS that they then PUT INTO PRACTICE UPON THEIR RELEASE
+ ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY (EVALUATION OF DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY)
+ this theory is able to ACCOUNT FOR CRIME within ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY. SUTHERLAND RECOGNISED that SOME TYPES OF CRIME, such as BURGLARY, MAY BE CLUSTERED WITHIN INNER CITY, WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES, but its also the case that SOME CRIMES ARE MOST PREVALENT AMONG AFFLUENT GROUPS
WHITE COLLAR CRIME (sometimes known as CORPORATE CRIME) is a FEATURE OF MIDDLE CLASS SOCIAL GROUPS
+ SUTHERLAND (EVALUATION OF DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY)
+ SUTHERLAND WAS SUCCESSFUL in MOVING THE EMPHASIS AWAY FROM EARLY BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF CRIME (i.e LOMBROSO) and those EXPLANATIONS WHICH SAW OFFENDING AS BEING THE PRODUCT OF INDIVIDUAL WEAKNESS OR IMMORALITY
DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY DRAWS ATTENTION to the ROLE OF DYSFUNCTIONAL SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES and ENVIRONMENTS IN CRIMINALITY
+ MORE REALISTIC SOLUTION (EVALUATION OF DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY)
+ DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY offers a MORE DESIRABLE AND REALISTIC SOLUTION to OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR than the BIOLOGICAL SOLUTION (EUGENICS) or the MORALITY SOLUTION (PUNISHMENT)
- DIFFICULT TO TEST (EVALUATION OF DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY)
- DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY is DIFFICULT TO TEST SCIENTIFICALLY, MOST OF THE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT IT IS CORRELATIONAL (which DOES NOT DEMONSTRATE CAUSE AND EFFECT)
How can the PRO CRIME and ANTI CRIME ATTITUDES even BE MEASURED? The theory is BUILT UPON THE ASSUMPTION that OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR OCCURS when PRO CRIMINAL VALUES OUTNUMBER the ANTI CRIMINAL ONES, however WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO MEASURE THESE VALUES, its DIFFICULT TO KNOW AT WHAT POINT the URGE TO OFFEND WILL TRIGGER A CRIMINAL CAREER
- DETERMINISTIC (EVALUATION OF DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY)
- NOT EVERYONE who is EXPOSED TO CRIMINAL INFLUENCES GOES ON TO COMMIT CRIME. There is a DANGE that THIS THEORY COULD STEREOTYPE INDIVIDUALS WHO COME FROM IMPOVERISHED, CRIME RIDDEN BACKGROUNDS as UNAVOIDABLY CRIMINAL
The theory IGNORES THE FACT that PEOPLE HAVE FREE WILL and MIGHT CHOOSE NOT TO OFFEND, EVEN DESPITE BEING INFLUENCED BY PRO CRIMINAL ATTITUDES
