Question

If you live in a high-crime area, you might befriend people who are involved in criminal activities, thus increasing your opportunity to learn criminal behavior. This theory is known as:

1) Social Learning Theory
2) Criminal Behavior Theory
3) Opportunity Theory
4) Crime Area Theory

Answer 1

The theory that posits individuals are more likely to learn criminal behavior if they live in a high-crime area and associate with those involved in crime is the Social Learning Theory, also known as differential association theory, developed by Edwin Sutherland.

Step-by-step explanation:

Theory Identification in Criminology

If you live in a high-crime area, and you might befriend people who are involved in criminal activities, thus increasing your opportunity to learn criminal behavior, the theory that best explains this phenomenon is Social Learning Theory. This theory, developed by Edwin Sutherland, is also known as differential association theory. It posits that criminal behavior is learned through social interactions with others who provide models of and opportunities for deviance. Other factors, such as socioeconomic status and parental criminal history, also play significant roles in influencing criminal behavior based on studies conducted over the years, including one that highlighted the effect of parental convictions on the likelihood of children engaging in criminal acts (Todd and Jury 1996).

Social learning theory aligns with the broader concept of Social Disorganization Theory, which was developed by researchers at the University of Chicago in the 1920s and 1930s. This theory suggests that crime rates are higher in communities with weak social ties and the absence of social control. Geographic profiling and the principle of distance decay also apply to analyzing the spatial patterns of criminal behavior, to predict potential future crimes and identify likely suspects.

Understanding the influence of neighborhood variables and social environment on individual behavior is crucial in the realm of criminology. Researchers employ statistical methods to isolate factors like residential instability and population density to understand their impacts on crime rates. This helps in redirecting law enforcement resources to where they're most needed, as exemplified by New York City's use of the CompStat tool.