differential association theory

• Sutherland’s (1924) Differential Association Theory suggests that crime is essentially a learned behaviour, and can be explained using the principles of social learning theory where the ‘role models’ are criminal peers or a ‘criminal university’ (in the form of a prison).
• The scientific emphasis of this theory suggests that it is possible to accurately predict the likelihood that an individual will become criminal, based on their exposure to pro-criminal and anti-criminal attitudes.
• Observers/individuals learn general attitudes towards crime as well as the skills and knowledge required to carry out specific crimes.
• If the frequency and intensity of an individual’s exposure to pro-criminal attitudes is greater than their exposure to anti-criminal attitudes (using the same mathematical terms of frequency and intensity), then it is highly likely that the individual will become criminal.