Differential Association Theory

Differential Association Theory: This social explanation posits that criminal behaviour is learned through social interaction.
Learning process: People develop motivations and skills to commit crime by observing others.
Peer influence: The frequency and intensity of a person’s exposure to deviant individuals largely determine their likelihood of adopting criminal behaviour.

Social Disorganization Theory: Suggests that a person’s environment or neighbourhood can have a significant impact on their likelihood of committing crimes.
Community factors: High crime rates are often found in areas with social instability, cultural conflict, and economic deprivation.
Role of institutions: Ineffective social institutions (schools, community organisations) contribute to increased crime rates.

Labeling Theory

Labeling Theory: Proposes that individuals are more likely to engage in criminal activities if society labels them as ‘criminals’.
Self-fulfilling prophecy: Once labelled, individuals might accept this label and behave according to it.
Lifetime effects: The stigma of being labelled a criminal can affect a person’s education, employability, and self-image, pushing them further into criminal activities.

Strain Theory: Implies that crime can be a result of individuals experiencing strain or stress because they can’t achieve their social goals via legitimate means.
Cultural goals and institutionalised means: The imbalance between culturally-defined goals and the available means to achieve those goals can lead to strain.
Routes to crime: Some may resort to innovation (using illegitimate means to reach goals), rebellion (rejecting societal goals and means), or retreatism (rejecting both societal goals and means).

Social Learning Theory: Argues that people learn how to act by observing and imitating others around them.
Imitation and reinforcement: People may learn to behave in an anti-social or criminal way if they observe such behaviour being reinforced (rewarded) in others.
Role of media: Media, especially violence and crime depicted in media, can have a significant effect on social learning of criminal behaviours.

Control Theory: Assumes that all people have potential for criminal behaviour, but it’s the bonds to society that prevent them from acting upon these impulses.
Social bonds: Elements like attachment to others, commitment to social norms and values, involvement in activities, and belief in moral validity of rules can deter people from crime.
Weak social bonds: If these bonds are weak or broken, individuals are more likely to commit crimes.