Differential Association Theory

Edwin Sutherland
1. Criminal behavior is learned behavior.
2. Criminal behavior is learned by interacting with
other people by communicating with words and
gestures.
3. The main portion of learning the criminal behavior
happens among small groups of people.
4. Learning about crime includes learning the
techniques of committing a crime, as well as learning
the motivation and attitudes towards crime.
5. Legal codes demonstrate what is 'good' or 'bad' and
provide a motivation for crimes. In other words, the law
expresses what is right and wrong to an offender.
6. A person becomes a criminal because of frequent criminal
patterns. For example, if one is exposed to a repeated
criminal scenario, this scenario will eventually rub off on
others nearby.
7. The differential association theory can differ in frequency,
duration, priority and intensity.
8. The learning of criminal behavior by association is similar
to all other types of learning.
9. criminal behavior and noncriminal behavior
are expressions of the same needs and values.
In other words, the goals of delinquents and
nondelinquents are similar. What is different
are the means they use to pursue their goals.
 Juvenile Delinquency
• committing of criminal acts or offences by a
young person, especially one below the age at
which ordinary criminal prosecution is
possible.