DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY

Porshey Beavers

Governors State University

EDWIN H. SUTHERLAND

Sutherland was a

American sociologist who

develop the theory of

differential association

from the works of Shaw

and McKay.

Sutherland substituted Shaw and Mckay social disorganization for the concept differential social disorganization.

It explained that social groups are arranged differently; some are organized in support of criminal activity and others are organized against such behavior. (Lilly, Cullen, & Ball, 2011)

Differential AssociationThe theory that proposes that criminal behavior is learned through social interaction with others.

Culture Conflict

Two Different Culture

Criminal Conventional

Compete for residents adherence

Depending on which culture and definition an individual is mostly exposed to helps determine their criminal behavior.

Definitions to favorable violation of law

VS Definitions unfavorable to violation of law

Whether the criminal or conventional influences are stronger in an individual’s life tells which influence a person is likely to inherit.

Criminal or Conventional

Differential Association examined why a person is likely to commit a crime

Differential Social Disorganization explains high crimes rates in different areas

Where crime is high a person learn to differentially associate with criminal values (Lilly, Cullen, & Ball, 2011)

The theory of differential association when through many stages until it was finally completed.

Its final form was done in 1947.

It included nine propositions of causes of crime.

Propositions

1. Criminal behavior is learned.2. Criminal behavior is learned in interaction with

other persons in a process of communication.3. The principle part of the learning of criminal

behavior occurs within intimate personal groups.4. When criminal behavior is learned, the learning

includes (a) techniques of committing crime, which sometimes are very complicated, sometimes are very simple, and (b) the specific direction of motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes.

Propositions Cont.5. The specific direction of motives and drives is learned

from definitions of legal codes as favorable and unfavorable.

6. A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to violation of law over definition unfavorable to violation of law. (Principle of Differential Association)

7. Differential association may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity.

8. The process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anti-criminal patterns involves all the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning

9. While criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by those general needs and values since noncriminal behavior is an expression of the same needs and values. (Lilly, Cullen, & Ball, 2011)

References

Lilly, J., Cullen, F. T., & Ball, R. A. (2011). Criminological Theory. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.