Part one of Sutherland and Cressey’s differential association theory explains that criminal behavior is learned. Applying this to Nate and Sam involves explicating their childhood and how they were raised. From a young age both Nate and Sam were conditioned by their father, Big Willie to be aggressive, and that in life you have to take what you want (take home outline). Nate and Sam’s father unknowingly conditioned them in a harsh way that made them susceptible to becoming date rapists. As a result of their aggressive upbringing Nate and Sam must succeed in their group of guy friends, the “Mac Daddies,” at any cost.
Part three of the differential association theory states, the principal part of the learning of criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups. Nate and Sam’s criminal behavior was learned in the home. Their father’s philosophy in life of you have to take what you want in life contributed to his children’s deviant identities. Nate and Sam act how they were taught. The motto of the “Mac Daddies,” “no rules, just sex,” also influences the boy’s behavior. This motto is significant in how Nate and Sam deal with women. They are going to take what they want using an aggressive style of behavior, because that is what they were taught.
Part four of the differential association theory states, when criminal behavior is learned, the learned includes (a) techniques of committing the crime, which are sometimes very complicated, sometimes very simple; (b) the specific direction of motive, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes. Nate and Sam learned to be aggressive and take what you want in life from their father. In order to stay in competition for “Mac Master” they had to use these techniques. Their competitive background resulted in them becoming date rapists to increase their point totals in their sexual competition. A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation of law. Since the boy’s were raised in an environment that taught aggressive behavior without limits as to what one can achieve, the boys, used this behavior in a negative way and became date rapists. The manner in which the boys were raised was negative; therefore, criminal behavior was enforced as opposed to neutral or positive behavior.
Part six of the differential association theory states, differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity. In
Differential Association Theory The film “Blow” covers many different topics of differential association theories. The attitudes, the values, and the motives for criminal behavior as learned behavior. The film Blow, goes into the start of a young kid name George Jung, his parents want him to have values and live a wonderful life for himself. George is raised with father owning his own business, a stay home mother.
One of Peterson’s sons is a convicted sex offender, and the other one is a convicted drug dealer. While nothing is certain, the fact that her children are also criminals indicates the level of social capital that her children may have lacked because of her deviant behavior. In chapter 9 of Criminology: The Core, social capital is an aspect of the Age-Graded theory developed by Robert Sampson and John Laub. Essentially, social capital is the positive and sustaining virtues gained from positive connections and experiences with individuals and institutions. It is argued that children of parents who are also deviant do not gain the positive experiences that prepare them to be successful law-abiding adults. Hence, a possible explanation as to why Peterson, a criminal, also raised children who became criminals
Sutherland’s theory that the conditions which are said to cause crime should be present when crime is present, and they should be absent when crime is absent. Sutherland identified that some types of crime are more dominant in minority communities, many individuals in those communities are law-abiding. Similarly, among the powerful and privileged, some are lawbreakers; some are not. His theory is intended to discriminate at the individual level between those who become lawbreakers and those who do not, whatever their race, class, or ethnic background (Adler, Mueller & Laufer, 2013, p. 124). This theory is depicted in the film, the two brothers, Darrin(Doughboy) and Ricky, are an example of how differential association theory can help to clarify why two boys in the same environments from a social structural perspective can still turn out very differently from a social process perspective. It was shown how Darrin only knew how to “gangbang”, unlike Ricky who got a scholarship for playing football really good and the family support of his mom to pursue it. An example of this is when Ricky opens up to his best friend " I want to be somebody" (Nicolaides & Singleton
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
These four variables help better understand Johnny 's criminal behavior throughout the film. First we look at the theory of Differential Association. Right away the word association stands out to me. To me being associated with someone means to be apart of one another 's lives enough to make an impact. I would also say that being associated with someone would require a significant amount of time spent together on a level greater than strangers. Unfortunately in Johnny 's case everyone in his life was a negative influence.His group of close friends along with himself were nothing more than pot smoking privileged white guys attempting to live a gangster life. The differential aspect is important to the behavior someone portrays. In the Social Learning Theory Aker 's puts great emphasis on who a person associated with. Almost as if a person is a product of their environment. "This element of Aker 's Social Learning Theory might suggest that crime results from those who 's role models are criminals and thus who associate with people whole behaviors different or abnormal." (Miller, et al., 2015 p.
The main character, Alex, is shown as a typical juvenile offender. He is shown in such a comparable manner not because all juvenile offenders are out robbing, rapping, and murdering people (although an argument could be made that today’s offenders are as bad, if not worse), but because he can do such things and feel no remorse until he is caught. His parents provide for him, but only in a financial light. What good is it if his parents don’t get involved in his extracurricular activities. He goes out all night doing wrong, and his parents think he’s out working, c’mon!! In today’s society, many parents are at the source of why a child may start to commit crimes. They are not involved, or in some cases just don’t care enough about their children to teach them the rights and wrongs of society.
According to Becker, the labelling theory of deviance looks at what happens to individuals after they are labelled as deviant (Skatvedt & Schou, 2008) The symbolic interactionist approach focuses on the role of social labels and sanctions that pressure individual gang members to continue engaging in deviant acts (Skatvedt & Schou, 2008).The labelling theory suggests that when an individual is labeled as deviant they are more likely to be rejected by families, friends, and societies which ultimately leads to further deviant acts (Becker, 1973). The deviant identity is thus complete when the individual gang member integrates himself into the gang subculture (Becker, 1973). Two high school gangs, the Roughnecks and the Saints, were constantly involved in deviant acts such as drinking, petty theft etc.,; however, high school teachers labelled the Saints as those headed for success and the Roughnecks as those headed for trouble (Chambliss, 1973) After high school, almost all of the Saints went to college and became doctors, lawyers, etc. while only two Roughnecks went to college and others were involved in killings and dropped out of school and so forth (Chambliss, 1973) This case study demonstrates that labels are powerful; they can trigger a greater involvement in deviant acts through social
In this paper, I am going to going to examine the criminological theory of Differential Association theory by Edwin H. Sutherland. Also I am going to examine Kirk White from the film The Wild and Wonderful World of the Whites of West Virginia. Furthermore, I am going to apply Edwin H. Sutherland’s Differential Association theory to explain and understand the deviant actions of this character. I conclude that Differential association theory will explain why this character act in a deviant why.
Growing up, Caine associated himself with groups that participated in drug dealing and street crimes. As he explains himself, “my father sold dope and my mother was a heroin addict…Growing up with parents like that, I heard a lot and I saw a lot. I caught on to the criminal life real quick. Instead of keeping me out of trouble, they turned me on to it” (Hughes). Thus, Caine’s deviance can be attributed to Differential Association Theory. He spent his entire life associating with groups that continually violated norms and provided him with negative sanctions for trying to conform to norms. For example, O-Dog, one of Caine’s friends, called Caine a “little bitch” when Caine stated he did not want to shoot any child...
Differential Association Theory is defined as a theoretical perspective that examines how people learn to be deviant or a conformist based on the community they are a part of. For example, because students are sitting in class room they have learned to conform to gain rewards and now are able to achieve in society. Edwin Sutherland coined the term differential association to indicate this: from the different groups we associate with, we learn to deviate from or conform to society’s norm. (Handlin 2015, Smith 2017).
...haviors he so wishes to comprehend are those whom he labels as The Cocaine Kids. Now that examples of these drug sellers’ behaviors have been provided, the criminological theories that can explain such behaviors have been made visible to the unseen eye. Criminological theories including the theory of Differential Association, the Subculture of Violence Theory, and the Social Learning Theory can be viewed as methods for developing a knowledgeable understanding of how and why such behaviors introduced individuals to the drug-selling world, kept them submerge deep within it, and allowed for them to leave it.
Criminal and deviant behavior is not always inherently part of an individuals nature, it is learned. It’s not inherited or a result of a biological condition. Rather, criminal and deviant behavior is learned in the same way all other behaviors are learned. According to Edwin H. Sutherland in his differential association theory, learning comes from interactions between individuals and groups. Individuals commit criminal or deviant acts due to repeated contacts and interactions with criminal activity and the possible lack of contact with noncriminal activity. This explains crime at the level of individual and society. Alex Gibney’s documentary Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer takes an in depth look at the once known New York Attorney General and Governor who prosecuted crimes by America’s largest financial institutions as well as some of the most powerful executives. However, it was later revealed he had been involved in a sex scandal. He was accused of seeing prostitutes and the known “Sheriff of Wall Street” fell quickly. The documentary explores the hidden profile of learning pride, arrogance, sex, and especially power. Spitzer’s acts of wrongdoing and dishonesty run counter to his career commitment to fighting corruption, however, the actions of Spitzer and the prostitutes parallel what they surround themselves with and learn in the context of their training.
The major premise of this is that the development of the unconscious personality early in childhood influences behavior for the rest of a person’s life. Criminals have weak egos and damaged personalities. The main focus of this is mental illness. In regards to social learning theory, one’s criminal behavior is learned through human interactions. Learning theories help explain the role that peers, family, and education play in shaping criminal and conventional behaviors. If crime were a matter of personal traits alone, these elements of socialization would not play such an important a part in determining human behaviors. Mental illness is part of the major crime causation for trait theory. According to some estimates, as much as 50% of the U.S. prison population suffers from some form of mental
“Children are a product of their environment”, is something I constantly hear when a either a young person is acting out or a young person doesn’t look “socially acceptable”. Delinquency and children’s behavior was something I have grown to become interested in during our class; thus leading me to analyze different theories on youth and the factors that prompted the onset of delinquent and how they continue to sustain their negative behavior. I personally do not completely agree with any one theory that applies to youth and child delinquency, yet there are points within each theory that I can agree with. In the following pages I will describe theories such as Choice Theory, Biosocial Theory, and Differential Association Theory.
As we all have observed, throughout history each culture or society has unique norms that are acceptable to that group of people. Therefore, to establish and come to the acceptance of these basic norms, each society must develop its’ own strategies and techniques to encourage the fundamentals of behavior, which is clear in our modern society. Most do assume that everyone in a society will follow and respect such norms. However, some tend to deviate from the adequate norms and demonstrate deviant behavior. Nevertheless, we are inclined to ask ourselves, why do people decide to violate such important standards of living?