A Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory of Criminal Behavior

Ronald Akers and Robert Burgess developed the Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory of Criminal Behavior. This theory posits that criminal behavior is learned through social interactions and reinforcement, drawing from Edwin Sutherland's differential association theory and B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning.1

The core idea is that individuals learn to commit crimes through association with others who view criminal behavior favorably. This learning process is influenced by rewards and punishments, both social and nonsocial. Later versions of the theory incorporated Albert Bandura's social learning concepts, including learning through modeling behaviors observed in media. Akers' work suggests that while social interaction is key to acquiring criminal behavior, the actual consequences of these acts maintain them over time.1