Sociology and Juvenile Deliquency

The crime of shoplifting sometimes exhibits compulsive behavior brought about by some psychological cause, but this can only explain certain instances of this behavior. Theories based on social distinctions and class differences also explain only some of this behavior, for perpetrators need not be poor to steal. Shoplifting as a crime transcends social boundaries and other evidence of social stratification. Some do steal because they are poor, of course, but much shoplifting occurs among juveniles who are not poor and not deprived. The most likely force operating in these instances is peer pressure, and peer pressure serve as a key component in differential association theory.

Young people behave in a way that allows them to conform to the cultural values of their immediate environment, though those values are in conflict with the values of the gr

. . .
e crime, whether complicated or simple. For shoplifting, the peer group easily demonstrates the techniques for performing the deed and for getting away with it. Through interaction with different members of the peer group, the young person comes into contact with people with different ideas of how useful it is to obey the rules. This enables him or her to learn the specific direction of motives and drives from both favorable and unfavorable definitions of the legal codes. The individual becomes delinquent if definitions favorable to violation of the law exceed definitions favorable to obeying the law. These differential associations which shape behavior vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity, but they contribute to the way the young offender learns the behavior. A final element cited by Sutherland holds that while criminal behavior can be seen as an explanation of general needs and values, it is not explained in the same way that noncriminal behavior is explained by the same needs and values: By this principle, Sutherland suggested that the motives for delinquent behavior cannot logically be the same as those for conventional behavior . . . It is only the learning of deviant norms through contact with an exce
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
James Short, Principles Criminology, Siegel Senna, , illegal drug, differential association, Edwin Sutherland, delinquent behavior, definitions favorable, peer pressure, differential association theory, association theory, senna 1997, criminal behavior, siegel senna, siegel senna 1997, shoplifting illegal drug, socioeconomic class, behavior illegal drug, West Publishing, importance peer pressure,
Approximate Word count = 1698
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)