Edwin Sutherland's theory that people learn their values and techniques for criminal behaviour from those around them, their associations - family and peer groups
Differential Association Theory
1. Imitation - acquiring criminal skills by observing those around them
2. Learned attitudes - socialisation in a group influences a persons norms and values. If a person has more criminal associates than law-abiding citizens, they are more likely to have a favourable attitude to criminal behaviour as it becomes 'normal' and they will commit crime themselves
Osburne and West study
Looked at sons of criminal and non-criminal fathers
Where the father had a criminal conviction, 40% of the sons acquired one by the age of 18
When there was one conviction, only 13% of sons had one
Strengths of Differential Association Theory
The fact that we have crime families supports the theory - learned social norms
Matthews - juvenille delinquents more likely to associate with friends who show anti-social behaviour. Peer group learning
Attitudes of work groups can normalise white collar crime - allows behaviour justification
Weaknesses of Differential Association Theory
Not everyone who is exposed to criminal behaviours becomes a criminal
Might learn how to commit a crime and never commit one themselves
