Historically crime is a norm rather than exception. Crime is a very complex social issue to be dealt with. However, the insights from sociological theories offer some hope to minimize crime in any society whether they are traditional or modern. In addition, affluence alone will not minimize crime because crime occurs in modern affluent societies due to many complex factors.
In any society the benefits or affluence is not equally distributed and there are individual differences in personality profile and different groups are able to cope with strain and there fore psychological, social environmental factors, official crime control methods, values and beliefs, as well psychological factors, biological factors and social factors interact in different degrees on individuals and groups and there fore give birth to the commitment of crime.
Strain theory of crime
This sociological theory focuses and explains the cause of crime in any society. According to this theory the primary cause of crime is the strain on individuals and groups in society, which pushed them to a point they can't survive without crime. In this theory of crime three situations causes strain on individuals or some groups in society. The strain can be caused by some groups or individuals prevent them achieving their goals or it can be caused by when something an individual or group value is taken away from them or some groups present an individual or group with noxious or negative stimuli. The goals can be money, status/ respect, or for adolescence autonomy from adults. According to this theory if an individual is prevented to achieve their goals then this will cause strain on them and to restore respect, money or freedom they may use violent behavior, theft, drug dealing and other illegal methods to obtain money. For example people particularly men must have masculine status and if prevented then they may commit crime because this situation causes strain and an individual in this situation may commit crime. For example there is evidence that the lower-class people commit crime because they are unable to earn enough money and money is important in developed countries and if prevented they may commit crime. As well even middle-class people may involve in crime to maintain their living standards if they cannot get enough money by legal means. Studies have also found the negative or noxious stimuli can cause crime. For example studies have found a range of negative events and conditions can increase the likelihood of crime such as child abuse, criminal victimization, physical punishment by parents, negative relations with parents, negative relations with teachers, negative school experiences, negative experiences with peers, neighborhood problems and other life events which are negative can cause strain on individuals and it increases the likelihood of that individual to commit crime in these conditions.
However, research has found even in some groups even if these conditions exists they may not commit crime depending on their personality profile, expose to delinquent behavior, family support systems, values and beliefs male or female and other demographic factors like age, religion and ethnic background will mediate and affect the likelihood of crime. That is crime is a complex phenomenon and strain theory alone will not explain all types of crime and in all groups and in all countries. Some theories or combination of theories are more applicable to have an insight of the issue crime and crime prevention than base policies on one crime theory alone. People also can change over time because of new experiences and life events crime is a dynamic phenomenon not a static one.
Social Learning theory of crime
According to social learning theory, juveniles learn to engage in crime in the same way they learn to engage in conforming behaviour: through association with or exposure to others. Primary or intimate groups like the family and peer group have an especially large impact on what we learn. In fact, association with delinquent friends is the best predictor of delinquency other than prior delinquency. However, one does not have to be in direct contact with others to learn from them; for example, one may learn to engage in violence from observation of others in the media.
Individuals may teach others to engage in crime through the reinforcements and punishments they provide for behaviour. Crime is more likely to occur when it (a) is frequently reinforced and infrequently punished; (b) results in large amounts of reinforcement (e.g., a lot of money, social approval, or pleasure) and little punishment; and (c) is more likely to be reinforced than alternative behaviours.
According to social learning theory, some individuals are in environments where crime is more likely to be reinforced (and less likely to be punished). Sometimes this reinforcement is deliberate. For example, the parents of aggressive children often deliberately encourage and reinforce aggressive behaviour outside the home. Or the adolescent's friends may reinforce drug use. At other times, the reinforcement for crime is less deliberate. For example, an embarrassed parent may give her screaming child a candy bar in the checkout line of a supermarket. Without intending to do so, the parent has just reinforced the child's aggressive behaviour.
