Sutherland's 1947 differential association theory

Question 1

what does Sutherland’s differential association theory suggest?

Answer 1

criminal behaviour is learnt though socialisation
learned by interaction with and associations and relationships with groups

Question 2

what relationships or groups could individuals learn criminal behaviour according to Sutherland and his differential association theory?

Answer 2

family
friends
boyfriend
girlfriend

who hold pro-criminal attitudes and see the legal system as unnecessary

Question 3

what is learnt from these groups that Sutherland proposed individuals could learn criminal behaviour from?

Answer 3

criminal attitudes and skills of how to commit crime

being accepted or gaining approval from these groups

Question 4

what can being accepted from these groups act as for these individuals
(Sutherland’s differential association theory)

Answer 4

reinforcement for criminal behaviour

Question 5

what did Sutherland find in his differential association experiment?

Answer 5

when investigating white collar crime, group activities in the workplace of ten normalised criminal behaviour

Question 6

what is an example as to why groups participate in criminal activities?

Answer 6

claiming everyone is doing it
made it easier for the individual members to justify their own criminal behaviour

Question 7

why are prisons sometimes referred to ‘colleges of crime’?

Answer 7

learn new techniques through observation and discussion in prison
can lead to re offending