What long-held belief regarding the causes of criminal behavior did Edwin Sutherland dispute?
A Criminal behavior is learned.
B Criminals are primarily created in the lower classes due to a feeling of inadequacy.
C Criminals are less likely to create strong bonds with their immediate family members despite their antisocial proclivities.
D Criminal behavior is a result of society labels.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is A: Criminal behavior is learned.
Edwin Sutherland is best known for his differential association theory, which challenged the previously held belief that criminal behavior was biologically or inherently predisposed in individuals. Prior to Sutherland’s work, many criminologists and sociologists believed that criminal tendencies were either biologically determined or caused by environmental factors like poverty. However, Sutherland argued that criminal behavior is not inherited or caused by inherent characteristics; instead, it is learned through interaction with others.
Sutherland’s theory emphasized that individuals learn criminal behavior from people they associate with, particularly in intimate groups. These interactions involve learning not only the techniques of committing crimes but also the motivations, rationalizations, and values that justify criminal behavior. According to Sutherland, it is the frequency, duration, and intensity of these associations that determine whether a person will engage in criminal activity.
The theory significantly shifted criminological thinking by placing the emphasis on social relationships and environmental influences rather than focusing on individual biology or poverty. This perspective made it clear that criminality is not an innate trait but a learned pattern of behavior passed down within social groups. It also helped explain why individuals from similar socio-economic backgrounds could either engage in or avoid criminal behavior, depending on the nature of their associations.
By challenging the idea that criminal behavior is biologically or socially determined in fixed ways, Sutherland opened up new avenues for understanding crime and social control, leading to the development of modern criminology and the study of social influences on behavior.