Differential Assocation Theory

Question 1

Differential Association theory

Answer 1

• It was proposed by Sutherland (1939)
• It states that offending is learned in the same way as everything else
• Offending is learnt through socialisation
• Pro-criminal attitudes/behaviours occur through association and relationships with other people- we learn our norms and values from them (including deviant ones)
• Everyone has different associations and attitudes are reinforced through acceptance and approval

Question 2

What are the 2 components of this theory

Answer 2

• Learned attitudes towards crime
• Learning of specific criminal acts

Question 3

Learned attitudes towards crime

Answer 3

• If the number of pro-criminal attitudes a person acquires outweighs the number of anti-criminal attitudes, they will go on to offend
• A person is likely to commit a crime if the exposure to criminal values has a high frequency (often), high intensity and high duration

Question 4

Learning of specific criminal acts

Answer 4

• In addition to learning about why they might want to commit a crime, criminal may also learn how to carry out crimes
• This can help explain re-offending when people are released from prison- they can learn techniques from others
• Learning can happen through observation, imitation or direct tuition

Question 5

Farmington et al (2006)- research support for differential association theory

Answer 5

• He followed 411 males (all working-class, deprived inner-city area of London)
• Longitudinal study (between 8 and 50 years old)
• By the end, 40% had at least one conviction
• Most significant childhood risk factors for later offending was family criminality, poverty and poor parenting
• This suggests that offenders will come from families and groups who have pro-criminal norms

Question 6

Evaluation of differential association theory

Answer 6

• Osborne and West (1979): found that where there is a criminal father, 40% of the sons commit a crime by 18 compared to 13% of sons on non-criminal fathers