Differential Association Theory (Edwin Sutherland):
- states that people learn to engage in crime. This learning results from interactions from others and often occurs in small intimate groups. People learn criminal techniques, motives, attitudes and rationalisations, and also learn to de-value conventional values and morals. Differences in association with criminals and non-criminals varies in duration, intensity, frequency and priority. - essentially criminal behaviour is learnt as anything else is. It is a response to the same cultural needs and values as non-criminal behaviour
Agnew General Strain Theory:
- conceptualises how people respond to 'strain'. Strain causes negative feelings (e.g. fear, despair, defeat). Because of this people become angry and blame their circumstances on others. This anger leads to lowered inhibitions and creates a desire for revenge. - essentially those who are subjected to repeated 'strain' are more likely to be antisocial and/or commit crimes - anger is used to justify criminal and/or antisocial activities - Increase in strain = increase in anger = increase in crime - coping strategies can stop people under 'strain' becoming delinquent
Early Criminological Theory (Lombroso)
- influenced by Darwinism
- criminals are born not made (atavism) --> started after an autopsy of a convict --> identified several common physical characteristics between criminals --> introduced idea of commonality and behavioural determinism in criminals
- made a checklist of physical features that were quantifiable by measurement to determine criminals e.g. small slopping forehead, large protruding ears, high cheekbones etc. --> developed a particular set of characteristics for each kind of criminal e.g. murder looked different to a sexual offender
- "born criminal" descende from a degenerate family with frequency of insanity, deafness, syphilis, epilepsy and alcoholism
- tattoo rational - out of 89 tattooed persons, 71 had been tattooed in prison - criminals have tattoos and a higher tolerance to pain
Emilie Durkheim And anomie Theory: - crime occurs as a result of breakdown of social cohesion; leads to anomie
Robert Merton and Strain Theory: - criminal behaviour resulted from a lack of integration between social ambitions and goals and the means to achieve the goals
Howard Becker and Labelling theory: - some people are labeled deviant and associated this label as their primary status, they accept the label and act accordingly
Travis Hirschi and Social Control Theory: - Everyone has the potential to be law violating, hover, fear ('social control') deters most people because they do not want to jeopardise the social bonds they have with others Freud - Id, Ego, Superego (criminals/deviant behaviour result of a weak superego) - criminals can be developed through several paths - basic incapacity to be honest - importance of family life, early attachment and development
Nice summary of the different theories of crime. I have read the works of Merton, Agnew, and other sociologists as well in one of our socio classes.
This reminds me of the work of Richard Quinney about the Social Reality of Crime. According to him, social reality is constructed. In the case of crime, what is considered as criminal/deviance is often based on people with authority or people in power. In his work, he somehow used social conflict perspective to describe the apparent involvement of rich and powerful people in the social construction of crime. By this he means that they play a huge role not only in the definition but also in the legalization and implementation of what they want to label as deviance.