Analysis of Gang Resistance Education and Training Crime Prevention Program

Social Processing Theories
While individuals who do not partake in gang activities may not understand why children choose to follow the group, one who understands psychological social theories may have an answer. Social processing theories, like the social learning theory and the social control theory, assist in explaining general human behaviors through social interaction and help identify the processes in which youths are socialized into a culture (McShane & Williams, 2003). More specifically, Edwin Sutherland theorized, “specific attitudes, values, and skills necessary to become successful criminals are passed on through a process of differential association” (McShane & Williams, 2003, p 172). One learns to become deviant through high levels of exposure to individuals who have favorable attitudes towards crime rather than the preferred social negative view of criminal activity (McShane & Williams, 2003). A youth who is rewarded for bad behavior will repeat that behavior more readily when presented with the opportunity to repeat. Reviewing social learning theory and social control theory assist in showing how the social processing theories affect how a youth views criminal behavior and gang activity.

Social Learning Theory

Albert Bandura’s social learning theory is the behavioral theory that is most applicable to criminology (Isom, 1998). Social learning theory identifies that learning comes through modeling. Modeling is simply where the youth mirrors the behavior of the adult. In our modern culture, many children are left to modeling the behaviors of older siblings or friends as parents tend to work outside of the home. As more children are involved in gangs, the more children are able to present themselves as a behavioral model to another child, friend, or sibling. Isom (1998) also shares that Bandura’s theory states that individuals do not inherit aggression but learn it through modeling. The reason a person may model their behavior after another, especially an

 

 

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