Behavioral Learning Theory

The Behavioral Learning Theory believes that behavior is learned from either the environment, the people in the individual's life, the media, or society as a whole. This theory contradicts the Biological theory, which states that criminals are "born to be bad" and that criminal behavior is inherited. The behavioral theory looks at the environment as well as society's impact on how an individual acts which might be the reason for criminal behavior. This theory blames the environment as well as the individual by saying it is a learned behavior and that it also was a choice they made. A basic assumption is that behavior is learned and modeled by individuals, groups, the media, and society as a whole.

The theory explains why people commit crime for a number of reasons. People commit crime because of the benefits and the rewards they may receive for it. For an example, most people sell drugs because they see the materialistic and money gained from selling drugs. People also commit crime because of their attachments to their peers, and by wanting to be accepted. This theory also explains that you are making a choice to participate in the commission of these crimes and that you are learning the behavior. It contradicts the Biological theory which says that criminals are born badly and that if your parents are criminals you have a gene that would explain why you do or will commit crimes. The behavioral theory blames society, the environment, and the other factors that may persuade you into committing crimes and not so much the individual. Sutherland explained crime by learning a social context through interaction and communication. He says that the learned behavior includes committing the crime, the motives, rationalizations, attitudes, and the evaluations of others. Sutherland believes that criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values.

I believe the strengths of this theory are that it explains why many people commit crimes. It explains that behavior is learned and that the individuals who commit crimes learn these behaviors from their peers, the media, the environment, and society as a whole. The writers of this theory believe that if more positive role models and more positive actions are taken then fewer crimes would be committed. I believe that it is an individual's personal attachment, commitment, involvement, bonds, morals, and values which indicates whether or not they will be criminals or not.

There have been different types of surveys done to support the behavioral theory. One is that surveys have been conducted in the neighborhoods in which the most crimes take place. Some of the questions asked have been do the participants come from single family homes or homes with parents, what type music, television, and movies do they watch, and what type of goals do they have for themselves. Most of the surveys show that the individuals who come from single family homes and watch the most violent shows are the ones most likely to become criminals or have participated in criminal activity. I do not agree with the survey because there are many people who come from good homes who still participate in criminal activity by their own choice.

I believe a weakness of this theory is that it does not explain why everyone commits crime. It also shifts the blame from the individual who committed the crime to the factors that may have caused the crime to take place. An example would be instead of the person who steals being blamed for the crime, the blame is then on the environment because it is a low class neighborhood, or instead of the teen being blamed for joining the gang, the gang is then blamed because they influenced