Sutherlands Theory of Differentiation

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N S NAIDOO STUDENT NUMBER: 4428-978-2 MODULE: CMY 3701 ASSIGMENT NUMBER: 1 UNIQUE NUMBER: 235580 QUESTION 1 Sutherlands theory of differential association Prior to Sutherland’s theory of differential association, medical doctors and psychiatrists were of the opinion that criminal behaviour was caused purely by biological and psychological abnormalities. However Sutherland theory diminished the popularity of the above view as it argued that “crime was the result of environmental influences on people who were biologically and psychologically normal”. Sutherland discovered that criminal behaviour was learnt through social interaction and thus to describe this learning process, he developed nine propositions (THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION). Proposition 1: Criminal behaviour is learnt The basis of differential association is that criminal behaviour is learnt from other people thus the roles of heredity, human nature and innovation as a cause of deviant behaviour is eliminated. This proposition explains how and why juveniles learn criminal behaviour within group activities. The fact that individuals may come from a good home where social norms and values are accepted and followed are irrelevant, as the emphasis is on the individuals behaviour that is learnt from deviant friends. Proposition 2: Criminal behaviour is learned through interaction with other people by means of a process of communication Proposition 3: The learning process takes place mainly within intimate personal groups * The point of departure with regards to proposition 2 and 3 is that criminal/deviant behaviour is learnt through active involvement with others in a process of communication. As an individual grows there are many influencing factors around him/her. (ie, parents influence in a process of

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