Differential association theory

• Pro-criminal attitudes


  • If the number of pro-criminal attitudes the person comes to acquire outweighs the number of anti-criminal attitudes, they will go on to offend
  • The learning process is the same whether a person is learning criminality or conformity to the law
• Differential association


  It should be possible to mathematically predict how likely it is that an individual will commit crime if we have knowledge of the frequency, intensity and duration of which they have been exposed to deviant and non-deviant norms and values
• Learning criminal acts


  • The would-be offender may also learn particular techniques for committing crime
  • This learning may occur through observational learning and imitation or direct tuition from criminal peers
• Differential association theory


  • Moves the emphasis away from early biological accounts of crime and individual weakness or immorality
  • Draws attention to the fact that dysfunctional social circumstances and environments may be more to blame for criminality than dysfunctional people
• It is hard to measure the number of pro-criminal attitudes a person has, or has been exposed to
• The theory does not provide a satisfactory solution to these issues, undermining its scientific credibility
• Not everyone who is exposed to criminal influences goes on to commit a crime
• The 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 may choose not to offend despite such influences