AO1

• What does differential association theory propose?

  Individuals learnt the values, attitudes techniques and motives for offending through association and interaction with different people
• Who developed the differential association theory?

  Sutherland
• Sutherland set himself the task of developing a set of scientific principles that could explain all types of offending. His theory was and is designed to discriminate between individuals who become offenders and those who do not, whatever their social class or ethnic background
• What key principles did Sutherland propose about the presence of crime?

  The conditions that cause crime should be present when crime occurs and absent when crime does not occur
• How is offending behaviour learned?

  Through interaction with significant others, such as family and peers
• What are the 2 main factors influencing offending behaviour?

  1. Learned attitudes towards offending
  2. Learning of specification offending acts/techniques
• How does exposure to different values impact offending?

  If pro-criminal attitudes outweigh anti-criminal attitudes, the person is likely to offend
• What does Sutherland argue about the learning process?

  It works the same way whether someone is learning to offend or learning conformity to the law
• Besides attitudes, what else do offenders learn?

  Specific techniques for committing crimes
• Give an example of a learned criminal technique

  Learning how to break into a house or disable a car stereo before stealing it
• How does Sutherland’s theory explain high reoffending rates among released convicts?

  Prison provides an environment where offenders learn specific criminal techniques from experienced criminals
• How does learning occur in prison?

  Through observational learning, imitation or direct tuition from offending peers
• Sutherland argues that if the number of pro-criminal attitudes outweighs the number of anti-criminal attitudes, the person will go on to offend
• Differential Association Theory uses social learning theory to suggest criminals are socialised into crime.
• Frequency + duration of exposure to criminal acts and values + intensity of exposure = high value of pro-criminal attitudes
• General ‘need’ is not a sufficient explanation for crime because not everyone with those needs turn to crime
• Strength: It can explain offending across all sectors of society, not just lower-class crimes (scope)
• Sutherland was particularly interested in ‘white-collar crimes’ and how this may be a feature of middle-class social groups who share deviant norms and values