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Identify and explain 3 key elements of Sutherlands differential association theory.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Answer: May include discussions of any of the following:
 Criminal behavior is learned.
 Criminal behavior is learned with other persons in a process of communication.
 The principal part of the learning of criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups.
 When criminal behavior is learned, the learning includes (a) the techniques of committing the crime, which are sometimes very complicated, sometimes very simple, and (b) the specific direction of motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes.
 The specific directions of motives and drives is learned from definitions of the legal codes as favorable or unfavorable.
 A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to the violation of law over definitions unfavorable to the violation of law.
 Differential association may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity.
 The process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anticriminal patterns involves all the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning.
 Although criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by these general needs and values, and because noncriminal behavior is an expression of the same needs and values.

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