Chapter 9: Theoretical Insight into Corruption Social Learning Theory There have been numerous attempts to understanding police corruption. With no clear explanation through theories, police corruption can be associated with previous behavior models throughout the philosophical discipline. One of the most applicable concepts is the Social Learning Theory presented by Akers. Akers’ theory is presented as a contemporary spin from the differential association theory that implies subcultures and peer groups facilitate deviant behavior through peer influence (Alpert & Dunham, 1997). Akers’ social learning theory positions itself that peer association, attitudes, reinforcements, and modeling are the predicative relationship to delinquency and …show more content…
Three factors inside the differential theory consider the age of the “abnormal person”, the level of contact with the peer pressure, and the proportion of good and bad the deviant person has had in there in life. For example, a police officer who has experienced a lot of happiness, “good dealings” in life, and had a predominantly structured life will less likely conform to corruptive behaviors as an adult, or in this case, an officer. The other half of this example, according to the differential associations theory is that adults who believe they have worked for nothing, never got what they necessarily deserved, and feel that the easy come easy go is a standard part of society may have a higher tendency to be involved in corrupt activity. Now let’s compare this to another deviant style behavior. I was a smoker for most 25 years. When I started it was out of peer pressure from friends in high school. My parents did not smoke. However, since I was predominant with my deviant peer group more hours a week then perhaps my family, I took on the acceptable behaviors of my peer group. The same could be said for corruptive attitudes and the connectivity of deviant behavior and how it is controlled by peer …show more content…
This theory suggests, the explanation to police transgression is to improve the psychosomatic selection of police officers so that the "rotten apples" are disqualified from the "barrel." Peripheral factors such as police sub-cultural customs, peer manipulation, and economic factors may pilot some officers to believe that antisocial or deviant behavior is the most suitable and most beneficial approach to their role as a police officer. The surroundings in which police officers work offers unlimited prospect for corruption and deception, and these environmental factors may lead to sociopathic behavior. Early intervention is critical for officers who show signs of stress, anxiety, depression, or any additional negative behavior. Periodic, ongoing psychological testing of officers, stress management training, and the existence of alternative intervention measures can assist in preventing the stresses of policing from leading to serious police misconduct (Griffin & Ruiz,
Luis Rodriguez’s deviance supports Differential Association Theory because he joined a gang, numerous amounts of rebellious acts, and committed crimes against people because of peer pressure or the people he associated himself with. The events that took place in his life can be explained by his association with different people. Always Running supports Differential Association Theory because Luis joined a gang because of the pressure and need to protect himself and his friends. Negative deviance isn’t a natural thing, depending on who you're associated with or influenced by then you'll learn the behavior you'll exhibit. Therefore, "criminal behavior is learned.."
Differential Association theory is a social-psychology theory that
In criminology, differential association is a theory developed by Edwin Sutherland proposing that through interaction with others, individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior. The differential association theory is the most talked about of the learning theories of deviance. (DAT). (Sutherland) (Sociological Theories of Crime and Their Explanation on Crime , 2007) Theories of criminality are most commonly derived from human behavior.
Ethics and the Evolution of Police Policing in this present day is defined as an individual or group of individual who prevent and detect crime within a community. Policing compares in many ways. They all attempt to provide services, keep the peace and reduce crime. Policing has evolved into something much more than what it used to be. Within this essay are the many different perspectives and how ethics were learned.
Fifth, the specific direction of motives and drives is learned from definitions of the legal codes as favorable or unfavorable. Sixth, a person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation of the law. Seventh, Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity. Eighth, the process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anti-criminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning. Lastly, while criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by those needs and values, since non-criminal behavior is an expression of the same needs and values.
While a few theories are not as regular, others have developed and are utilized as a part of numerous criminal reviews today. Cutting edge criminologists consolidate the most important aspects of sociology, psychology, anthropology, and biological theories to advance their comprehension of criminal behavior. Rational choice theory, psychological, biological, and strain theory are used to analyze the
Explaining the differential theory further, “imagine a child growing up in a home where the parents routinely engaged in criminal acts. The child would grow up assuming that these acts may not
Social learning theory and social bonding theory are two theories that may be compared and contrasted because they both overlap and differ. Although these theories have their similarities and differences, one theory may prove to be more convincing in terms of applying the theory to the understanding of crime and delinquency. Social learning theory refers to Akers’ theory of crime and deviance. Akers attempted to specify the mechanism and processes through which criminal learning takes place by explaining crime and deviance; he did this in such a way that the likelihood of conforming or deviant behavior based on the influence of an individual’s history of learning was accounted for. This theory was based off Sutherland’s differential association theory, which had nine propositions outlining the process by which individuals acquire attitudes favorable to criminal or delinquent behavior with the basic idea that people tend to associate with others in which they come into contact.
The main example throughout the documentary was the “rotten pocket” example that is used to describe a corruption in the prescient where more than one officer is corrupt, and are cooperating to fulfill this illegal act. In the documentary, Michaels partner described how everyone, even up to the captain was corrupt and in on their ring. This is a big problem within police departments since other officers will lie to protect their own, instead of doing what is in the best interest of the station, and the criminal justice system. Many programs like the early intervention systems and the mixed approach to police accountability The main goal of these programs being implemented, is to protect the agency from double-crossing officers and protect the
The Mafia and organized crime would be an example of deviance in society. Differential Association Theory and Social Structure sheds light on how individuals learn to become criminals, the conditions in social structures that lead to deviant behavior, and how both are similar. Members of the Mafia are influenced by their own set of norms and beliefs in their culture. Both, Differential Association Theory and Social Structure, are essential for a complete understanding of deviant behavior and why organized crime exists.
Sutherland’s theory of Differential Association takes a macro level analysis as to why people commit crimes and brings it to a micro level analysis. He concludes that looking at a multiple factor approach did not explain why crimes are committed. Instead he asks the question what one singular factor touches on these multilevel factors. Sutherland looked for the universal explanation as to why crimes are committed rather than looking at individual reasons. His theory seeks what has always been present in crime and what has not or better yet what mechanism or experiences correlate to the crimes committed.
Sutherland Differential Association Theory says, “people learn how to behave by modeling themselves after others whom they have the opportunity to observe” (Tittle, Burke, and Jackson, 1986). Ronald L. Akers and Robert L Burgess Differential Reinforcement Theory, drawn from Sutherland’s theory, proclaims primary learning takes place through operant conditioning. “Criminal behavior is learned according to the principles of operant conditioning” (Burgess, Akers 1966:137). Operant behaviors can involve conditioning, shaping, stimulus control and extinction (Burgess, Akers 1966:133-134). Sutherland, Akers and Burgess theories give a correlating perspective into the Lionel Tate Case.
Differential reinforcement is the fact that rewards and disciplines shape behavior. High crime rates are an continuous problem in our inner cities, however the cause and reasoning behind crime has yet to be totally recognized. Ronald Akers believed that criminality is a behavior that is learned based on
Social process theory depends on the interaction between individuals and society as an explanation and is also known as interactionist perspective. This theory assumes that everyone has the potential to violate the law and that criminality is not an innate human characteristic but is instead a belief that criminal behavior is learned by interaction with others (Schmalleger, 2012). Social process feels the socialization process that occurs because of group membership is the main way through which learning occurs (Schmalleger, 2012). Social process theory views criminality as people’s interactions with various organizations, institutions, and processes in society (Siegel, 2000). This theory feels that people from all areas have the potential
Differential Association Theory is a criminology theory that looks at the acts of the criminal as learned behaviors. Edwin H. Sutherland is accredited with the development of the Differential Association theory in 1939. Sutherland, a sociologist, and professor most of his life, developed Differential Association theory to explain how it was that criminals came to commit acts of deviant behavior. Under the differential association theory, there is no biological or genetic basis for criminal behavior. The learning of such behavior took place within a group already knowledgeable about and engaged in criminal behavior.