Differential Association

Sociology 3315
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
UMD DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION

EDWIN H. SUTHERLAND AND DONALD R. CRESSEY, (1978) CRIMINOLOGY.

DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION IS A LEARNING THEORY WHICH FOCUSES ON THE PROCESSES BY WHICH INDIVIDUALS COME TO COMMIT CRIMINAL ACTS.

I. IT IS NOT CONDITIONS LIKE POVERTY OR BROKEN FAMILIES NOR PERSONAL PATHOLOGIES THAT CAUSES CRIME

1. CRIME IS FOUND IN POOR AS WELL AS RICH AREAS,

NONCRIMINALS ARE FOUND IN POOR AREAS AS WELL

2. MUST LOOK AT CONDITIONS COMMON TO ALL GROUPS THAT COMMIT CRIME

3. CONCENTRATE ON ONE LEVEL OF ANALYSIS, THINGS LIKE LONG LEGS OR DISORGANIZATION AND ANOMIE ARE PERHAPS NECESSARY PRIMARY CAUSES BUT NOT SUFFICIENT

4. PERSON-SITUATION COMPLEX

5. HISTORICAL EXPLANATION (DEFINES THE SITUATION BASED ON PASSED EXPERIENCE)

SUTHERLAND CLAIMS THIS HISTORICAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH

II. DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION

A LEARNING FOCUSING ON THE PROCESSES BY WHICH INDIVIDUALS COME TO COMMIT CRIMINAL ACTS.

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS LEARNED.
CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS LEARNED IN INTERACTION WITH OTHER PERSONS IN A PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION.
THE PRINCIPAL PART OF THE LEARNING OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OCCURS WITHIN INTIMATE PERSONAL GROUPS.
WHEN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS LEARNED, THE LEARNING INCLUDES
- TECHNIQUES OF COMMITTING THE CRIME, WHICH ARE SOMETIMES VERY COMPLICATED, SOMETIMES VERY SIMPLE;
- THE SPECIFIC DIRECTION OF MOTIVES, DRIVES, ATTITUDES, AND RATIONALIZATIONS.
THE SPECIFIC DIRECTION OF MOTIVES AND DRIVES IS LEARNED FROM DEFINITIONS OF THE LEGAL CODES AS FAVORABLE OR UNFAVORABLE.
A PERSON BECOMES DELINQUENT BECAUSE OF AN EXCESS OF DEFINITIONS FAVORABLE TO VIOLATION OF LAW OVER DEFINITIONS UNFAVORABLE TO VIOLATIONS OF LAW.
DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATIONS MAY VARY IN:
- FREQUENCY,
- DURATION,
- PRIORITY, AND
- INTENSITY
THE PROCESS OF LEARNING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR BY ASSOCIATION WITH CRIMINAL AND ANTICRIMINAL PATTERNS INVOLVES ALL OF THE MECHANISMS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN ANY OTHER LEARNING.
WHILE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS AN EXPRESSION OF GENERAL NEEDS AND VALUES, IT IS NOT EXPLAINED BY THOSE GENERAL NEEDS AND VALUES, SINCE NONCRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE SAME NEEDS AND VALUES.

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