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Factors : The Views Of The Differential Association Theory

Decent Essays
From birth, our families, friends, and society influenced our choices. We were told what we could and could not accept. The music we listened to, the food we ate, and the clothes we wore were all influenced by someone in our community or household. These experiences from your childhood tend to determine the choices we will make as adults. We are living in a world that approaches life with a black or white perceptive, meaning decisions in life are either morally right or morally wrong. Differential Association Theory is defined as a criminological theory created by Edwin Sutherland that focuses on criminal behavior being learned through association with others (Walsh, 559). The theory focuses on an individual’s life that could lead them to a life of crime. Glenn Walters’s Lifestyle Theory is a theory stressing that crime is not just a behavior, but a general pattern of life (Walsh, 561). Walters believes that criminal conduct is part of a worldwide rule of life characterized by irresponsibility, impulsiveness, self-indulgence, negative interpersonal relationships and the chronic willingness to violate society’s rule (Walsh, 268). We are raised throughout life that to achieve true success, one must have wealth and be able to possess fancy cars or homes. We hear discussions from millionaires on television talk about how they are living the life of their dreams. They argue that they are hard-working and self-motivated individuals who accomplished much success on their own. In
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