The Importance of the Social Process Theories of Criminology

Within the social process theories are three major classes: social learning theory, social control theory, and social reaction theory. Each of these theories seek to explain criminality and the perpetration of criminal acts through the viewpoint of criminality as a social process.

The differential reinforcement theory is one of the various theories under the social learning theory was created by Ronald Akers and Robert Burgess in 1966 (Siegel, 2006, p. 206). The differential reinforcement theory states that the process of learning deviant behavior and the process of learning conventional behavior is the exact same process. Neither criminals nor typical members of society are raised to be completely good or completely bad, neither completely deviant, or completely conforming (Siegel, 2006, p. 206). Instead, there is a balance between these that is revised and reevaluated as time goes on, and as a social group is adopted.

Essentially, a person's behavior is conditioned through reinforcement , either positive or negative. Negative reinforcement discourages the behavior while positive reinforcement encourages the behavior's continuation. These reinforcements come from rewards offered by the act, and by those around them. If peers and/or family shun the behavior, it often dies off; however, if peers or family encourage the behavior, the behavior continues and may even become stronger. Behavior is also learned by these people through modeling. Thus, a child who grows up with an older brother who steals and often hears about it, and sees all the great things that the older brother gets because of it, is more likely to feel encouraged to steal. The younger boy is encouraged by the association with his brother. According to Akers (2006), "Deviant behavior can be expected to the extent that it has been differentially reinforced over alternative behavior...and is defined as desirable or justified" (p. 206).

SOCIAL CONTROL: