Differential Association

9 Pages 2164 Words

executive who embezzles company funds may learn the norms and values conducive to this type of criminal activities by associating with others who engaged in similar wrongdoing. Another example might focus on juveniles living in a subculture in which selling and using drugs are a common practice and as a consequence of these activities there is a likelihood to develop attitudes favorable to drug use and trafficking.
Differential Association is a learning theory, which centers on nine beliefs by which individuals come to commit criminal acts.
1. Criminal behavior is not inborn or predetermined, criminal behavior is learned. Sutherland believed that a person is incapable of inventing criminal behavior. He claimed a person must first be trained on how to commit a crime and criminal behavior is not inherited or a result of any biological condition.
2. Criminal behavior is learned through interaction with other persons by way of communication. Such communication is usually verbal or gestures and sign language can be a substitute. Most street gangs have their own unique style of communication.
3. The learning process occurs within intimate personal groups such as peer groups and work environments. Intimate personal groups, gangs for instance, provide influence on the learning of criminal behavior. Sutherland felt newspapers and the media had little to do with learning criminal behavior.
4. The learning process of criminal behavior includes the techniques of committing the crime, the direction of the motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes. Professional thieves have their own techniques of committing crime. Some are very specialized and others are relatively simple. Some of the most efficient crimes are those committed by professional thieves, people who earn their livelihood by regularly committing crimes. Like members of any profession, professional thieves acquire a great deal of specialized skill and experience a...