The Learning Theory Of Criminals And Criminal Behavior

1261 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Social disorganization theory introduction

Criminals are not born; they are created or molded into individuals who participate in criminal behaviors. There are several factors that influence deviance beginning with social structures, generational values and attitudes and social bonding. The concepts of all five theories briefly clarify why criminals partake in deviant activities; however, I believe three learning theories - Social Disorganization, Differential Association and Hirschi’s Social Bonding - best explain how social structures and interactions correlate with the cultivation of criminals. There is a distinct difference between controlled and learned theories. Controlled theories emphasize on how individuals are born selfish, such as the strain theory and techniques of neutralization. …show more content…

Criminal behavior is adapted through exuded actions of significant others (Schram & Tibbetts, 2014, p.217). Criminals are not born, they are created. Both nonverbal and verbal communication is pivotal within interaction that influences criminal behavior, along with personal groups. Being that adolescents are easily molded, it is very common that individuals can easily be coerced into participating in deviant activities. If individuals see the benefits of their peers stealing without consequences or repercussions, would it be surprising if they began to steal as well? They are persuaded in the direction of motives that seem favorable CITE 4. These principles also correlate with the crime of murder. If the media broadcasts countless stories of people who commit murder with the justification of self-defense, it is logical to assume that individuals will begin to use that claim. Since the George Zimmerman case surfaced, there have been countless killings of unarmed minority teenage

Show More
Related

  • Nature versus Nurture: Criminal Behavior

    2165 Words  | 5 Pages

    Finding strong evidence surrounding this topic could be significant to reducing crime rates and addressing the public health issue. What I have learn from research-based evidence and analyzing social and cultural theories, is that criminal behavior is multifaceted and is influenced by a range of determinants in which surrounds the nature versus nurture debate. I believe that nature and nurture both play significant roles to the making of a criminal.

    Read More

  • Hirschi's Theory Of Crime: Why Do People Commits Crime?

    1171 Words  | 3 Pages

    One possible explanation for criminal behavior within society is Travis Hirschi’s theory of social bonding. Instead of asking “who commits crime?” he believes we should be asking “who doesn’t commit crime?” In his theory, Hirschi explains that all people naturally break laws and, therefore, everyone is equally prone to do bad things.

    Read More

  • Columbine Shooting Essay

    2357 Words  | 5 Pages

    Secondly, differential association varies based on the intensity, duration, frequency, priority, and timing of one’s process of learning. Through this notion, the individual’s self is disregarded and more emphasis is placed on the extrinsic factors. Furthermore, “it is an individual’s experiences and the ways in which the individual defines those experiences which constitute to the learning of criminality”. (Gongenvare & Dotter, 2007,

    Read More

  • Malcolm Gladwell The Power Of Context

    1244 Words  | 3 Pages

    Criminals are mistakenly seen as “people with stunted psychological development or…[a] consequence of moral failure…or people with genetic predispositions for crime.” (Gladwell 156) That is not true. They are simply byproducts of the environment around them. Change the environment; change the behavior. Gladwell explains how context and environmental cues affects behavior, but it goes further. Powerful forces that change environments change what those inside them experience. Sometimes those changes are purposeful, with the intention to reduce crime, sell drugs, or recruit students. It is self evident that cultural expectations are dependent on the experiences individuals have together. Gladwell, combined with Watter and Ho’s analysis, explicitly shows that the environment changes those

    Read More

  • Relation between Burglary and Differential Association Theory

    1691 Words  | 4 Pages

    Differential association theory best explains the burglary deviance. There are many principles associated with this type of learning theory. Edwin Sutherland’s theory discusses how crime is a learned behavior where one’s family, peers, and environment are of great influence. Differential association theory seeks to prove that criminal behavior is learned and this paper will evaluate the connection between the two.

    Read More

  • The Social Learning Theory Of Juvenile Delinquency

    1195 Words  | 3 Pages

    they are currently in. A juvenile committing crime may the only way they know to display their anger and feelings of neglect.

    Read More

  • Theories Explaining Juvenile Crime

    1605 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many theories, at both the macro and micro level, have been proposed to explain juvenile crime. Some prominent theories include Social Disorganization theory, Differential Social Organization theory, Social Control theory, and Differential Association theory. When determining which theories are more valid, the question must be explored whether people deviate because of what they learn or from how they are controlled? Mercer L. Sullivan’s book, “Getting Paid” Youth Crime and Work in the Inner City clearly suggests that the learning theories both at the macro level, Differential social organization, and micro level, Differential association theory, are the more accurate of the two types of theory.

    Read More

  • General Strain Theory Analysis

    410 Words  | 1 Pages

    This article examines the general strain theory by examining how undesirable interactions with others can result in criminal behaviors. The negative treatment that one receives from another person is what is being looked at by the strain theory. Strain theory is a sociological theory by the fact it looks at the criminal behavior and compares it to one’s interactions with others. Differential association and social learning theory also compares the same interactions but what makes the strain theory different from these previous theories is that it focuses on how pressure during these interactions result in criminal behaviors. Social learning theory and differential association tend to examine criminal behaviors and interactions with others by

    Read More

  • Edwin Sutherland's Differential Association Theory Of Criminal Behavior

    1182 Words  | 3 Pages

    First and foremost, the theory states that criminal behavior is learned, meaning that the behaviors of an individual are influenced and shaped by those they associate with (Clinard & Meier, 2015). The primary reference point here is the nuclear family. Parents teach their children how to walk and talk, who grow up with siblings or in some cases, elderly relatives. With good reason, it is widely held that these interactions create the foundation of the individual’s conception of societal norms and values. That being said, if the individual is capable of assessing proper behavior in society, they are also capable of learning what is considered

    Read More

  • Summary: Theories Of Criminal Behavior

    674 Words  | 2 Pages

    Based on the facts provided, the type of a crime that was committed by Frensen is a white-collar crime. These types of crimes are often committed by individuals of very high social status who carry out their crimes within the context of their occupation. They include insider trading, stealing, tax evasion and other violations of income tax laws. In this case the crime was nonviolent and involved financial wrongdoing which is considered to be a white collar crime. To be specific, Erik Frensen committed the crime of tax evasion given that he failed to file his income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for a period of 9 years.

    Read More

  • Juvenile Delinquency Chapter Summary

    1291 Words  | 3 Pages

    The chapter, “Juvenile Delinquency” from Curt R. Bartol and Anne M. Bartol Criminal Behavior: A Psychological Approach seeks to address why there are so many youths in the Juvenile Justice System. The chapter begins to address the problems by using an integration of theories and research analysis to determine what trends or patterns has juvenile delinquency in the United States adopted. Also, the chapter looks at an overview of some of the underlying factors to delinquent behavior, developing strategies for prevention, and treatment alternatives for those in the Juvenile Justice System.

    Read More

  • Akers' Social Learning Theory

    2220 Words  | 5 Pages

    High crime rates are an ongoing issue through the United States, however the motivation and the cause of crime has yet to be entirely identified. Ronald Akers would say that criminality is a behavior that is learned based on what an individual sees and observes others doing. When an individual commits a crime, he or she is acting on impulse based on actions that they have seen others engage in. Initially during childhood, individuals learn actions and behavior by watching and listening to others, and out of impulse they mimic the behavior that is observed. Theorist Ronald Akers extended Sutherland’s differential association theory with a modern viewpoint known as the social learning theory. The social learning theory states that individuals commit crime through their association with or exposure to others. According to Akers, people learn how to be offenders based on their observations around them and their association with peers. Theorist Akers states that for one, “people can become involved in crime through imitation—that is by modeling criminal conduct. Second, and most significant, Akers contended that definition and imitation are most instrumental in determining initial forays into crime” (Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2011:57). Although Akers’ theory has been linked to juvenile delinquency in the past, it has also been tested as a possible cause of crime overall. Individuals learn from observation that criminal behavior is justifiable in certain circumstances. In connection with juvenile delinquency and crime, peers and intimate groups have the most effect on individuals when associated with criminal behavior. One is more likely to mimic the behavior of someone who they have close ties with, whether the behavior is justifiable or...

    Read More

  • Social Disorganization Theory: The Cause Of Crime

    848 Words  | 2 Pages

    Learning theories claim that criminality is not natural but is learnt from interaction with other persons. These individuals can be relatives, peer bunches, work associates or whatever other method for socialization. In the event that a man talks or invests more energy with individuals who think violating the law is worthy and have criminal foundations then the individual will in all probability be included in criminal exercises. There are numerous scholars who utilize learning hypotheses to clarify why individuals commit

    Read More

  • The Look at three Integrated Theories

    2402 Words  | 5 Pages

    An integrated theory is a combination of 2 or 3 theories that offers many explanations on why crime is occurring, compared to a traditional criminal theory that just focus on one type of aspect (Lilly et al.2010). The purpose of integrated theories is to help explain many aspects into what causes criminal behavior and why one becomes delinquent. From this an argument arises can integrated theories be used to explain all criminal behavior. Integrated theories are successful in explaining certain aspects of crime on what causes one to become deviant; however one theory alone cannot explain why an individual engages in crime. This paper will examine three integrated theories and look in-depth how these theories can explain different aspects on why criminal behavior occurs and the weakness of each theory. The three integrated theories that will be discussed in this paper are Cloward and Ohlin Differential Opportunity theory, Robert Agnew General Strain theory, and lastly Travis Hirschi’s Social Bond theory.

    Read More

  • The Development of a Criminal Mind

    1330 Words  | 3 Pages

    In today’s society, one will find that there are many different factors that go into the development of a criminal mind, and it is impossible to single out one particular cause of criminal behavior. Criminal behavior often stems from both biological and environmental factors. In many cases criminals share similar physical traits which the general population do not usually have. For example criminals have smaller brains than properly adjusted individuals. However biological reasons cannot solely be the cause of criminal behavior. Therefore, one must look to other sources as to how a criminal mind is developed. Social and environmental factors also are at fault for developing a person to the point at which they are lead to committing a criminal act. Often, someone who has committed a violent crime shows evidence of a poorly developed childhood, or the unsuitable current conditions in which the subject lives. In addition if one studies victimology which is the role that the victim plays in the crime, it is apparent that there are many different causes for criminal behavior. Through the examination of biological factors, in addition to the social and environmental factors which make up a criminal mind, one can conclude that a criminal often is born with traits common to those of criminals, it is the environment that exist around them that brings out the criminal within them to commit indecent acts of crime.

    Read More

More about The Learning Theory Of Criminals And Criminal Behavior

Open Document