The understanding of the multiple learning theories is the main concept that these criminal behaviors caught all over the world is not a biological reaction, but has become a reaction to what these criminals have learned in their social background. The four theories associated with the learning theory are differential association theory, differential identification theory, social learning theory, and differential reinforcement theory. These learning theories can be used to describe a crime similar to the ideas associated to the theories expressed in the previous sentence. The crime that this paper will be analyzing is the shooting at a Jewish community center on April 13th 2014 by a member of the Ku Klux Klan named Frazier Glenn Cross. After explaining the theories and the crime that had taken place, an analysis of using these theories in connection to the crime. This paper is about explaining the crime at the Jewish community center on 4/13/2014, an explanation of the four different learning theories that can be used to explain the crime, and the complex understanding of this crime ...
On December 6th, 1989, the Ecole Polytechnique engineering school in Montreal would – unbeknownst to everyone in the building – become the backdrop for one of the worst mass murder incidents in Canadian history. 14 women were shot and killed at the hands of a shooter named Marc Lepine, and 13 others were gravely wounded in the process (Maser, 1987). No outright reason was apparent other than the letters left on his suicide note, but it marked a troubled life that began from his troubled childhood. Factors that may have led up to this incident needs to be examined in further detail, using a psychological explanation and a criminological theory. This paper will use the social learning theory to analyze the behaviours that led up to this event, as well as the general strain theory to determine why he committed the crime.
Interaction and communication in intimate groups is important element in the process of learning. The learning included acquisition of the necessary skills and techniques of committing the crime, sometimes they are complicated, sometimes simple. Second, the person learned the definitions of favorable and unfavorable legal codes, which provided the person a specific direction of motives, drives, rationalization, and attitudes. The definitions may mainly learned from delinquent peers and family structure. When the definitions favorable to violation of law a person has learned excess definitions unfavorable to violation of law, then the person would become delinquent. Lastly, the person would commit crime when an objective opportunity existed (Sutherland,
Social learning theory was first developed by Robert L. Burgess and Ronald L Akers in 1966 (Social Learning theory, 2016). In 1973, Akers wrote a book entitled Deviant Behaviour: A Social Learning Approach, which discussed Aker’s conception of the social learning theory. He developed social learning theory by extending Sutherland’s theory of differential association (Cochran & Sellers, 2017). Social learning theory is based on the principles of Pavlov’s operant and classical conditioning. Akers believes that crime is like any other social behavior because it is learned through social interaction (Social Learning theory, 2016). Social learning theory states that the probability of an individual committing a crime or engaging in criminal behaviour is increased when they differentially associate with others who commit criminal behavior (Cochran & Sellers, 2017). Social learning theory is classified as a general theory of crime, and has been used to explain many types of criminal behaviour (Social Learning theory, 2016). Furthermore, social learning theory is one of the most tested contemporary theories of crime. There are four fundamental components of social learning theory; differential association, definitions, differential reinforcement and imitation (Social Learning theory,
Differential association theory was founded by Edwin H. Sutherland (Lilly, 2012, p. 43). This theory states that “any person will inevitably come into contact with definitions favorable to violation of the law and with definitions unfavorable to violation of the law” (Lilly, 2012, p. 44). Whichever definition is more prominent in a person’s mind, will lead to their decision of “whether the person embraces crime as an acceptable way of life” (Lilly, 2012, p. 44). Sutherland composed nine propositions that explained the theory. He explained that “crime is learned through the process of differential association” (Lilly, 2012, p. 45). The nine propositions explained that “criminal behavior is learned” (Lilly, 2012, p. 45). He explained that by communicating with others, especially those that are close to them they are more likely to pick up behaviors from those people. Differential association theory also explains that learning criminal behaviors “involves all the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning” (Lilly, 2012, p. 45). While learning a criminal behavior one not only learns “the techniques of committing the crime” but also the “specific direction of motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes” involved with crime (Lilly, 2012, p. 45). This is theory is shown throughout the book when the young Mr. Moore was influenced by the life of crime that was present in his
In addition to this overview Sutherland outlines nine specific factors which may enhance one’s ability to learn the criminal behaviors but for the purposes of this paper, three of the nine will be analyzed closely;
The TV show, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, often addresses criminal deviance such as rape and murder. In the episode, “Scorched Earth,” an African immigrant maid becomes a rape victim of a rich, Italian prime minister named Distascio (Wolf). This episode highlights how status can affect perception of certain deviant behaviors. Additionally, it addresses contemporary America’s values toward types of deviant acts, and sanctions that go along with them.
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.
The violence takes place when the criminal uses the intentional power of threat or physical violence against any individual victim, community and minority group. The violent act considered as manslaughters, murder, physical assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, and robbery or burglary. In this research essay, I will analysis the causes and its methods to reduce the violent crime through different theoretical perspective. The violent crime refers on the basis of gender, age, community and neighborhood.
The murder of my Aunt Nelcina Charles in her home in 1995 was a surprise to us. She tried making a turnaround in her life. After years of drug abuse, Nelcina reached her lowest point. She realized that she needed to make a turn for the better, for her children. Nelcina became more involved in her children's lives and started living a normal life. As the transition began to take hold for the better, Nelcina’s life was abruptly taken from her, the police came, did their regular procedure. Yet the murder remained unsolved, and her children stayed with their grandmother.
Social learning theory assumes that criminal behavior is similar to any human behavior. It can be learned through a socialization process, which occurs when interacting with other individuals or social institutions. The duration, frequency and content of this social interaction leads to shaping people’s attitudes and behaviors towards legal codes. Ronald Akers supports differential association as a significant part of his revised social learning theory that attempts to explain deviance. However, he incorporates additional elements, such as differential reinforcement, imitations, and definitions. In the movie, Training Day, the trainee Officer Jake Hoyt needs to do prove himself and impress Commanding Officer Alonzo Harris in order to obtain
Social learning theory argues that individual behavior is shaped through the process of reinforcement and punishment. It argues crime is largely detrmined during childhood as a result to incompetent parenting, and tends to persist thereafter.. Differential reinforcement is defined as the balance of anticipated or actual rewards and punishments that follow or are consequences of behaviors. Social learning theory focuses on four principles: Differential association, differential reinforcement, imitation and definitions. The debt of differential association theory can be seen in these for principal said to affect the individual's probability of committing law violations.
The approach theorizes that society is constructed of all of the everyday interactions between individuals (Macionis. 2015). Therefore, what an individual constantly learns from others, how they communicate with people, and respond to everything around them, is what makes up society. When studying crime and why it occurs, Symbolic Interaction states that criminal or deviant behavior is typically learned from the people and events around them (Macionis. 2015). It is important to note that this theory is mostly applied to less severe and moderate crimes such as drug use, theft, burglary, etc. rather than extreme violent crimes, such as
In order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the criminal behavior theories, the word theory needs to be defined. “A theory is an explanation. It tells why or how things are related to each other. A theory of crime explains why or how a certain thing or certain things are related to criminal behavior.” (Bohn and Vogel)
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.
Human antisocial behaviour is complex and trying to understand it has always proven to be a daunting intelligent task, especially in modern culturally diverse societies. Crime, broadly defined as behaviour through which individuals obtain resources for others through uncouth means, presents as one of the most refractory internal social dilemmas. Understanding individual criminal acts such a murder, rape or motives behind them is intricate, rather their behavioral definitions and causes offers a more clear platform for argumentative reasoning. Criminal behaviour, regardless of manner, involves use of barbaric methodologies to obtain symbolic or material resources. Criminal behavior results from methodical processes that involve intricate interactions among isolated, societal, and environmental factors in people’s lives.