DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY

This theory was developed in the 1939 by Edwin Sutherland.

It tells us about crime and criminal behavior-

1. That the criminal behavior is a learned behavior but not inherited

2. That the criminal behavior is learned through interactions and through communications.

3. The main part of learning criminal behavior occurs within the personal groups such as peer groups, family or interactions with the close one.

4. Under the theory of differential association Edwin Sutherland focusses on how the individuals learns criminal behavior through the interactions with others.

5. It emphasizes the role pf peer influence and the role of socialization that helps in development of criminal tendencies of a person.

6. People not only learns criminal activities but the people also learn the attitude and beliefs to commit crime.

7. The theory says that the intensity and priority of interactions with the persons who are into criminal activities can influence an individual to adopt criminal behavior and criminal tendencies.

8. Sutherland tells that the criminal behavior is a product of socialization which can be diminished or reinforced depending on the environment of the person.

9. The individuals decides and make choices whether to engage in criminal activities or not based on the balance of pro-criminal or anti-criminal associations they have.