The differential association theory

Abstract

The criminological theory of differential association is based on the concept that individual criminal actions are the results of positive evaluations of deviance acts after knowledge is procured through social instruction. A person who is subjected to more definitions in favour of crime violation than against crime infringement becomes a delinquent. The first to research this was Gabriel Tarde, who proposed that "patterns of delinquency and crime are learned in much the same manner as any occupation, primarily through imitation of and association with others". However, it was Edwin Sutherland that developed this theory fully. Sutherland argued that persons become delinquent when they define law violation more favourable to them then conventional behaviour. He also stressed that individuals learn the definitions of crime violations through the usual means that are often used for learning traditional and conventional elements of life. Sutherland's research was based primarily on studies of "white collar crime". He argued that if the sources of negative instruction is a person who is usually trustworthy to the person acquiring the definitions there is a better chance that the person acquiring the definitions become a deviant. Additionally, socioeconomic may effect individual associations: an opportunity for a person to be close to readily available sources of negative or illegal inspirations will increase his chances to associate and learn delinquency, communities with a high rate of criminality increase the chances of any person to have social contacts with negative sources, and a criminal environment will help an individual to regard criminal behaviour as an acceptable norm in the particular community.