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Edwin Sutherland: Early Influential Criminological Theory

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Edwin Sutherland was an early influential criminologist who believed in differential association. Differential association is a sociological theory, unlike previous theories that emphasized inherited criminal behavior, that describes criminal behavior being learned through associations and communication. Sutherland believed that genetic inheritance, social pathology, biological characteristics, and personalities were not enough to support a connection between criminal behavior and the average person (Chapter 8, Theories of Social Process and Social Development, pg. 197). So, Sutherland discovered nine principles that connection criminal behavior to an average person. The nine principles include, “(1) criminal behavior is learned, (2) criminal …show more content…

This can be verbally or non-verbally (observations). In the videos, we can see this principle being shown through the White’s family gathering in their living room. We saw them smoking pot, drinking, bringing out guns, taking their clothes off, and cursing with each other, and with children around. All of them actively participating in these acts, as well as talking about them, corresponds to Sutherland’s second principle about criminal behavior being learned through verbal and non-verbal interactions. The adults are learning it through verbal interactions and active participation in smoking, drinking, and cursing, and the children are learning it through non-verbal interactions and observations of their family members doing these …show more content…

All the members of the White family had some involvement with illegal behavior, whether that was drugs, shootings, robberies, fights, etc. Bertie, the mother of most of them, didn’t engage with these behaviors as much or as frequently. She raised over 34 kids, some of which were hers and some of which weren’t. There was one specific scene in the video where two members of the White family are smoking pot on the couch next to Bertie and she attempts to get up and leave, but they’re holding her back and messing with her. This example highlights the seventh principle in that while illegal behavior is common throughout the White family, the frequency, duration, and intensity between one person to the next varies. And that just because you’re related to someone with high criminal tendencies, doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll acquire the same

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While a few theories are not as regular, others have developed and are utilized as a part of numerous criminal reviews today. Cutting edge criminologists consolidate the most important aspects of sociology, psychology, anthropology, and biological theories to advance their comprehension of criminal behavior. Rational choice theory, psychological, biological, and strain theory are used to analyze the

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Although differential association can be seen in high schools it can also be seen through different groups of adults because it based on who they associate themselves with and if they involve themselves in criminal activity. Differential association theory plays a huge role in high schools because students learn to commit crimes due to the association of those around them and can influence their behaviors (Siegel,

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Sutherland’s first three principles discuss how criminal behaviour is learned within intimate personal groups and through a process of communication (Lilly, Ball & Cullen, 2015, p. 45). This fits with the family. One can use Leonardo as an example. Due to the fact that he grew up in a family that was very involved with crime, Leonardo would have been exposed with criminal culture growing up more than conventional culture, which according to Sutherland, would allow him to accept the criminal lifestyle easier. This point also fits in with principle six states that a person will get involved in criminal activity due to: “an excess of definitions favorable to violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation of the law” (Lilly, Ball & Cullen, 2015, p. 45).

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Initially, peer and family influences can greatly contribute to children committing juvenile acts. Mandel states “there are parents who

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Initially, peer and family influences can greatly contribute to children committing juvenile acts. Mandel states “there are parents who give

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Edwin Sutherland proposed the Differential Association theory to explain how these criminal behaviors can be learned and maintained by emphasizing the meanings to the experiences through inmate personal groups. When the individual possesses the knowledge of the criminal behavior, they develop "techniques of committing the crime" and the specific direction of motives. Individuals are seen as delinquents or criminals when they encourage the violation of law over the obeying of law. John Dillinger's childhood gang, the Dirty Dozen, initiated his label as a thief and also asserted his desire to possessed excessive money. In his adulthood, John continues to learn how to perfect his criminal behavior by befriended professional bank robbers, Harry Pierpont, and Homer Van Meter, while he was imprisoned.

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Circumstances can arise that cause individuals to commit crimes, even though they have not been around it and have not learned the behavior. If someone was from a community that rarely saw any crime, it is still possible that that person could turn to criminal deviance. By using the Four Metrics for Evaluating Theory, you can break down the Theory of Differential Association. The theory has logical consistency because each of the 9 propositons stated all are able to build on each other and come together to conclude one thought. The scope is realistic when you take into account the steady number of crimes committed in a single area as compared to another area that does not have as many criminal acts.

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In criminology, differential association is a theory developed by Edwin Sutherland proposing that through interaction with others, individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior. The differential association theory is the most talked about of the learning theories of deviance. (DAT). (Sutherland) (Sociological Theories of Crime and Their Explanation on Crime , 2007) Theories of criminality are most commonly derived from human behavior.

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Most was derived from the assumption that behaviors such as; criminal and otherwise, are inherited. Which means that criminals are biologically different than non-criminals. One of the earliest explanations was known as Phrenology which was in the mid-1700’s to mid-1800’s, which viewed the shape and size of the brain and skull as determinants of criminal tendencies. The next early positivist explanation for deviance was in 1876, Cesare Lombroso’s theory of “Atavism” and “The Born Criminal” This was the 1st Major Application of this new science to the study of criminals and deviance.

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It does not consider other factors such as criminal associations, individual traits, and inner strains, which plays a significant role in determining punishment for the individuals in committing crimes. It is observed that this theory endeavours to know that whether the activities of crime as well as the victim’s choice, criminals commit the activities on start from rational decisions. The theory also determines that criminals consider different elements before committing crime. They engage in the exchange of ideas before reaching on any final decision. These elements consist of consequences of their crimes, which include revealing their families to problems or death, chances of being arrested, and others elements, which comprises of placement of surveillance systems (Walsh & Hemmens, 2010; Lichbach,

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Social learning theory and social bonding theory are two theories that may be compared and contrasted because they both overlap and differ. Although these theories have their similarities and differences, one theory may prove to be more convincing in terms of applying the theory to the understanding of crime and delinquency. Social learning theory refers to Akers’ theory of crime and deviance. Akers attempted to specify the mechanism and processes through which criminal learning takes place by explaining crime and deviance; he did this in such a way that the likelihood of conforming or deviant behavior based on the influence of an individual’s history of learning was accounted for. This theory was based off Sutherland’s differential association theory, which had nine propositions outlining the process by which individuals acquire attitudes favorable to criminal or delinquent behavior with the basic idea that people tend to associate with others in which they come into contact.

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Fifth, the specific direction of motives and drives is learned from definitions of the legal codes as favorable or unfavorable. Sixth, a person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation of the law. Seventh, Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity. Eighth, the process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anti-criminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning. Lastly, while criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by those needs and values, since non-criminal behavior is an expression of the same needs and values.

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Where external and internal factors play a part and they are fated to be a criminal. The scientific grounds are offenders and people who have not yet offended can be given help, and they can be diagnosed by experts and receive treatment needed to not offend (Cavadino, 2007

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One of the most analyzed theories in criminology today is the social learning theory. The social learning theory derives from the differential association theory by Dr. Edward Sutherland. The social learning theory of criminology says that individuals learn from the community around them. This happens in two ways by differential association and differential reinforcement. Differential association is the theory that individuals learn values and behaviors related with crime.

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The education includes how to commit crimes and all the rationalizations for doing so. Criminal behaviors are reinforced by hearing them referred to in positive terms. Respect for social norms such as following the law is held in contempt by the group. Two of the nine propositions that Sutherland came up with to explain the Differential Association theory was that criminal behavior is learned in interaction with other persons in a process of communication and the principal part of the learning of criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups. These propositions are established in the movie Blow as follows.

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