Differential Association

DEVELOPED BY criminologist Edwin H. Sutherland, differential association theory has been one of the most long-lasting sociological and criminological theories of our time. Sutherland described his differential association theory in his book, Principles of Criminology, published in 1939.

The theory's popularity, in part, stems from is simplicity and straightforwardness. In particular, his views on the causes of crime can be found in the nine propositions he described:

• 1.
  Criminal behavior is learned
• 2.
  Criminal behavior is learned in interaction with other persons in a process of communication
• 3.
  The principal part of the learning of criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups
• 4.
  Learning criminal behavior includes learning the techniques of committing the crime, which are sometimes very complicated and sometimes very simple, and learning the specific direction of motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes
• 5.
  The specific direction of motives and drives is learned from perceptions of various aspects of the legal code as being favorable of unfavorable
• 6.
  A person becomes criminal when he or she perceives more favorable than unfavorable consequences to violating the law
• 7.
  Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity.
• 8.
  The process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anti-criminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms involved in any other learning
• 9.
  While criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not excused by those general needs and values since non-criminal behavior is also an expression of the same needs and values.

Differential association theory suggests that criminal behavior is learned through the process of communication in small groups. Sutherland noted that individuals need to learn strategies to commit crime and reasons to commit crime. With this assumption as a framework, Sutherland argued that individuals will learn definitions of laws as favorable or unfavorable. Those who think laws are fair will be more prone to abide by the laws, while those[Page 255] who see them as unfair will be less prone to engage in appropriate acts.

In addition to one's perceptions about laws, Sutherland also pointed out that the same learning process that is used to learn conventional behavior is used to learn criminal behavior. For example, individuals use the same process to learn how to use a computer for their job that computer criminals use to learn how to use a computer to perpetrate a crime. He also believed that criminal behavior is not caused by needs or values, because all behavior stems from needs and values.

Although Sutherland developed his theory to explain all criminal behavior, he took several opportunities to illustrate how his theory explains white-collar crime. Consider the following comments from Sutherland (1983):

Elsewhere, Sutherland quoted a shoe salesperson who learned the rationale for selling misfitting shoes from his manager: “[The manager told the salesperson] my job is to move out shoes and I have you to assist in this. I am perfectly glad to fit a person with a pair of shoes if we have his size, but I am willing to misfit him if it is necessary in order to sell him a pair of shoes. I expect you to do the same. If you do not like this, someone else can have your job. While you are working for me, I expect you to have no scruples how you sell your shoes.”

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