Criminal Justice: Social Control Theory and Social Learning Theory
Instructions
(Answer)
Criminal Justice: Social Control Theory and Social Learning Theory
Question 1
Robert Aaron Long, a twenty-one-year-old suspect, was arrested on 16th March 2021 following his killing spree of six Asian women and two other individuals seriously wounded (Berman et al., 2021). During interrogation, he told the police that his nudge to kill was necessitated by a sexual addiction, which was odd to his Christianity. Cherokee and Fulton counties charged him with 19 and 32 crimes and were later sentenced to life with no parole (Berman et al., 2021). Indeed, following Tobert Agnew’s General Strain Theory examining the possible impact of life stressors, it is evidence that Long’s killing spree was motivated by his life strains (Miethe & Drass, 1999). Precisely, life strains such as sexual addiction motivate members of any social class to participate in criminal behaviors as coping techniques to their life problems. According to Agnew’s general strain theory, members, irrespective of their social class, would seek criminal offenses such as massive killing as a technique to dealing with a strain, which in Long’s case is sexual addiction.
Agnew’s general strain theory also introduces three mechanisms individuals use to cope with life stressors. The three mechanisms are emotional, cognitive, and behavioral mechanisms (Miethe & Drass, 1999). Long, in this case, uses both emotional and behavioral coping mechanisms. To permanently cope with his negative feelings of sexual addiction, Long decides to kill the six Asian women. In Long’s case, it is a coping technique to deal with his sexual addiction challenges that fail to adhere to his Christianity values (New York Times, 2021). He claimed to be tortured physically and psychologically by his sexual addiction, as evidenced in his frequent visits to sex workers. To alleviate his negative emotions of sexual addition conflicting with his set religious values and beliefs, Long choose murder.
Question 2
Aker’s social learning theory argues that people develop their motive to commit crime and skills related to crime via individuals they connect or associate with particularly (Akers, 2002). In other words, individuals learn new values, behaviors, and attitudes, mainly by direct observation or experiencing others’ behaviors via negative or positive stimuli.
On the other hand, Gottfredson and Hirschi’s self-control theory notes that a lack of self-control is the primary cause of crime and individual participation in analogous behavior (DeLisi & Vaughn, 2008). Therefore one of the significant similarities between Aker’s social learning theory and Gottfredson and Hirschi’s self-control theory is that an individual’s criminal behavior results from something else. The significant difference is that in Aker’s social learning theory, one’s participation in criminal activities is based on observing and imitating the behaviors of others. According to Aker’s social learning theory, cognitive and environmental factors influence one’s behavior to commit a crime (Akers, 2002). Aker’s theory affirms that an individual’s criminal behavior is learned and heavily occurs if one associates themselves with those indulging in crimes.
On the other hand, Gottfredson and Hirschi’s self-control theory affirms that an individual indulgence in criminal behavior is not a result of associating and observing those committing crimes but rather a lack of individual self-control (DeLisi & Vaughn, 2008). Thus, it argues that individuals lacking self-control would indulge in criminality at a tender age and stabilize the latter across the life course. Lack of self-control will initiate an individual capacity to refrain from criminal behaviors. Such individuals deter gratification, are never diligent and cautious or are sensitive towards those around them. Hence are likely to participate in criminal activities.
References
Akers, R. L. (2002). A social learning theory of crime. Criminological theories: Bridging the past to the future, 135-143.
Berman M., Shammas B., Armus T., & Fisher March (2021). The Atlanta spa shooting suspect’s life before attacks. The Washington Post.
DeLisi, M., & Vaughn, M. G. (2008). The Gottfredson–Hirschi critiques revisited: Reconciling self-control theory, criminal careers, and career criminals. International Journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 52(5), 520-537.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/17/us/robert-aaron-long-suspected-shooter/index.html
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-crime-georgia-spas-suspect-idUSKBN2B92L3
https://nypost.com/2021/03/18/copes-probe-phone-online-records-of-alleged-atlanta-spa-shooter/
Miethe, T. D., & Drass, K. A. (1999). Exploring the social context of instrumental and expressive homicides: An application of qualitative comparative analysis. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 15(1), 1-21.
New York Times (2021). 8 Dead in Atlanta Spa Shootings, With Fears of Anti-Asian Bias.
